[Fluoride content of table salt in Mexico City]

The fluoride content of a sample of bags of salt for sale in Mexico City was measured in order to estimate the proportion of marketed salt that contained the quantity of fluoride set by the National Program for Prevention of Dental Caries through Consumption of Fluoridated Table Salt. The effectiveness of that program had never been evaluated. In March 1993, bags of salt were obtained from 70 of the 3544 neighborhoods that make up Mexico City. The stores were selected by simple random sampling. Salt was likewise purchased from 20% of the 146 supermarkets and self-service stores in the city, also selected as a random sample. Then, blind measurement was done of the fluoride content of 221 bags of salt. The true content of this element was often found to be below the amount called for by the government. In addition, it did not coincide with the quantity indicated on the package label, which is a violation of the law.