Excessive exposure to fluoride causes an arthritic bone disease called skeletal fluorosis. According to UNICEF, skeletal fluorosis is endemic in at least 25 countries, with millions of people impacted.
Skeletal fluorosis, especially in its early stages, is a difficult disease to diagnose, and can be readily confused with various forms of arthritis including osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
In the advanced stages, fluorosis can resemble a multitude of bone/joint diseases, including: osteosclerosis, renal osteodystrophy, DISH, spondylosis, osteomalacia, osteoporosis, and secondary hyperparathyroidism.
The risk of developing fluorosis, and the course the disease will take, is influenced by the presence of ceratin predisposing factors, including impaired kidney function; dietary deficiencies; gastric acidity; and repetitive stress.
In individuals with kidney disease, fluoride exposure can contribute to, and/or exacerbate, renal osteodystrophy.
While only a limited number of studies have documented the disease in the U.S., it is almost certain that cases of the disease have occurred but escaped detection.
'The Dose Factor' - Skeletal Fluorosis: (Click for more detail)
The minimum daily doses capable of producing the various stages of fluorosis are still poorly understood.
In India and China, skeletal fluorosis has repeatedly been documented in field surveys among communities with 1.0 to 1.5 ppm fluoride in water. In the U.S., there has been extremely little systematic research to assess the prevalence of fluorosis. Case reports, however, have documented fluorosis among susceptible individuals drinking water with as little as 1.7 ppm.
Research Gaps - Skeletal Fluorosis:
1) No systematic research exploring the incidence of skeletal fluorosis among susceptible subsets of the population including heavy tea-drinkers and people with kidney disease.
2) Other than small, limited studies from the 1950s-1960s (Steinberg 1955, 1958; Ansell 1965), no research exploring the relationship between fluoride exposure and arthritis in the west.
3) No comprehensive research exploring the doses of fluoride capable of producing the early stages of skeletal fluorosis, and how such doses vary based on the presence or absence of predisposing factors.
4) No research exploring how genetics may influence the risk and nature of skeletal fluorosis in the general population.
Showing posts with label skeletal Fluorosis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label skeletal Fluorosis. Show all posts
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Death by Fluoride
A wee bit of fluoride makes teeth and dentists happy, we’re told. Dr. Happy Tooth’s smiley face turns into a frown when his favorite decay buster is busted as a killer. Anything in large doses kills, bristles Drill & Fill, DDS, even Dihydrogen Monoxide, they often tease. Ha, ha, get it - water - H2O. Stop picking on fluoride, they say, you make us look bad.
Few people know that fluoride maims and kills. Dentists wouldn’t want you worrying your little head off, and possibly scaring you away from twice-yearly insurance-paid-whether-you-need-it-or-not treatments. Fluoride’s toxicity is downplayed–or worse, never mentioned. That way everyone stays happy including organized dentistry’s biggest benefactors–toothpaste makers, and the media paid to showcase the fluoride-good-news, only.
Four stories, organized dentistry and fluoride profiters would rather you didn’t see occurred this year:
1) A 51-year-old committed suicide by fluoridated toothpaste, according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers (1). They won’t release the who, what, where, when and why to us.
2) A 52-year-old women with a two-gallon, double-strength daily instant tea habit developed bone and joint pain and other abnormalities indicative of chronic fluoride toxicity or skeletal fluorosis. After breaking the tea habit her pain and discomfort alleviated. Tea is naturally high in fluoride and few doctors are trained to diagnose fluoride’s adverse effects (2).
3) Daily high-dose fluoride home therapy caused gastric distress, difficulty in swallowing, leg muscle and knee joint soreness, and general malaise in a patient, according to the Journal of the American Dental Association (3).
4) Elk drinking naturally high fluoridated water in Yellowstone Park die a decade sooner than they should (3a).
In case you missed previous fluoride deaths:
a) A two-year-old died after swallowing too many fluoride tablets (4).
b) A three-year-old dies from swallowing too many fluoride tablets (5).
c) Three-year-old dies from ingesting, instead of expectorating, dentist’s fluoride treatment (6).
d) Three dialysis patients died from fluoride poisoning at the University of Chicago Hospital when equipment meant to filter out fluoride from the water supply malfunctioned (7).
e) Fluoride killed an Alaskan man and poisoned 296 others after too much fluoride accidentally flowed into the public water supply (8).
f) Fluoride killed a 65-year-old kidney dialysis patient who became ill during a blood cleaning process after water supply workers left a fluoride valve for too long to allow toxic fluoride levels to flow into the public water supply (9) in Annapolis, Maryland.
Fluoride caused many industrial, occupational and environmental sicknesses and deaths also (10).
Fluoride cripples and maims too many people in the world who live on naturally high fluoridated water supplies such as in Nalgonda, India (11).
About 62 million people including 6 million children, have been suffering from fluorosis due to excessive consumption of fluoride through water, reports Newindpress.com
One simple method of assessing the extent of fluorosis is to estimate the prevalence of dental mottling which is the most convenient ‘bio-marker’ of exposure to fluoride, they report (12).
Symptoms of skeletal fluorosis (13):
In the early clinical stage of skeletal fluorosis, symptoms include pains in the bones and joints; sensations of burning, pricking, and tingling in the limbs; muscle weakness; chronic fatigue; and gastrointestinal disorders and reduced appetite. During this phase, changes in the pelvis and spinal column can be detected on x-rays. The bone has both a more prominent and more blurred structure.
In the second clinical stage, pains in the bones become constant and some of the ligaments begin to calcify. Osteoporosis may occur in the long bones, and early symptoms of osteosclerosis (a condition in which the bones become more dense and have abnormal crystalline structure) are present. Bony spurs may also appear on the limb bones, especially around the knee, the elbow, and on the surface of tibia and ulna.
In advanced skeletal fluorosis, called crippling skeletal fluorosis, the extremities become weak and moving the joints is difficult. The vertebrae partially fuse together, crippling the patient.
References:
http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/fluoridation/114468
Few people know that fluoride maims and kills. Dentists wouldn’t want you worrying your little head off, and possibly scaring you away from twice-yearly insurance-paid-whether-you-need-it-or-not treatments. Fluoride’s toxicity is downplayed–or worse, never mentioned. That way everyone stays happy including organized dentistry’s biggest benefactors–toothpaste makers, and the media paid to showcase the fluoride-good-news, only.
Four stories, organized dentistry and fluoride profiters would rather you didn’t see occurred this year:
1) A 51-year-old committed suicide by fluoridated toothpaste, according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers (1). They won’t release the who, what, where, when and why to us.
2) A 52-year-old women with a two-gallon, double-strength daily instant tea habit developed bone and joint pain and other abnormalities indicative of chronic fluoride toxicity or skeletal fluorosis. After breaking the tea habit her pain and discomfort alleviated. Tea is naturally high in fluoride and few doctors are trained to diagnose fluoride’s adverse effects (2).
3) Daily high-dose fluoride home therapy caused gastric distress, difficulty in swallowing, leg muscle and knee joint soreness, and general malaise in a patient, according to the Journal of the American Dental Association (3).
4) Elk drinking naturally high fluoridated water in Yellowstone Park die a decade sooner than they should (3a).
In case you missed previous fluoride deaths:
a) A two-year-old died after swallowing too many fluoride tablets (4).
b) A three-year-old dies from swallowing too many fluoride tablets (5).
c) Three-year-old dies from ingesting, instead of expectorating, dentist’s fluoride treatment (6).
d) Three dialysis patients died from fluoride poisoning at the University of Chicago Hospital when equipment meant to filter out fluoride from the water supply malfunctioned (7).
e) Fluoride killed an Alaskan man and poisoned 296 others after too much fluoride accidentally flowed into the public water supply (8).
f) Fluoride killed a 65-year-old kidney dialysis patient who became ill during a blood cleaning process after water supply workers left a fluoride valve for too long to allow toxic fluoride levels to flow into the public water supply (9) in Annapolis, Maryland.
Fluoride caused many industrial, occupational and environmental sicknesses and deaths also (10).
Fluoride cripples and maims too many people in the world who live on naturally high fluoridated water supplies such as in Nalgonda, India (11).
About 62 million people including 6 million children, have been suffering from fluorosis due to excessive consumption of fluoride through water, reports Newindpress.com
One simple method of assessing the extent of fluorosis is to estimate the prevalence of dental mottling which is the most convenient ‘bio-marker’ of exposure to fluoride, they report (12).
Symptoms of skeletal fluorosis (13):
In the early clinical stage of skeletal fluorosis, symptoms include pains in the bones and joints; sensations of burning, pricking, and tingling in the limbs; muscle weakness; chronic fatigue; and gastrointestinal disorders and reduced appetite. During this phase, changes in the pelvis and spinal column can be detected on x-rays. The bone has both a more prominent and more blurred structure.
In the second clinical stage, pains in the bones become constant and some of the ligaments begin to calcify. Osteoporosis may occur in the long bones, and early symptoms of osteosclerosis (a condition in which the bones become more dense and have abnormal crystalline structure) are present. Bony spurs may also appear on the limb bones, especially around the knee, the elbow, and on the surface of tibia and ulna.
In advanced skeletal fluorosis, called crippling skeletal fluorosis, the extremities become weak and moving the joints is difficult. The vertebrae partially fuse together, crippling the patient.
References:
http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/fluoridation/114468
Monday, July 21, 2008
Fluorosis - Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment
Definition
Fluorosis are describes as a state of toxicity of the trace element. It is occurring due to fluorine (commonly referred to in its ionic state as Fluoride) within an organism. Fluorosis is not limited to humans, and can affect any aspect of the ecosystem.
It could well be the result of fluorosis. It is mostly affect people in rural India with no access to safe drinking water. It's time to include it in the long list of urban lifestyle diseases.
Fluoride can affect bones and skeleton, due to this severe pain in major joints. 66 million people in India, including 6 million children, either affected or at high risk of fluorosis. This includes 6 million children in the 6-14 age groups.
Fluorosis is a crippling and painful disease due to caused by intake of fluoride. Fluoride can enter the body through drinking water, food, toothpaste, mouth rinses and other dental products; drugs, and fluoride dust and fumes from industries using fluoride containing salt and or hydrofluoric acid.
Dental fluorosis occurs in children who are exposed to a high intake of fluoride before the teeth fully mineralize. It is mainly accour in children before 12-14 years of age. The disease is more prevalent in rural areas where drinking water is use from wells or hand pumps. The disease is more likely to occur in areas where the drinking water has a fluoride content of more than 1ppm (part per million), and in children who have a poor intake of calcium.
Symptoms
Fluorosis may vary on an individual basis for each patient. Only your doctor can provide adequate diagnosis of symptoms and whether they are indeed symptoms of fluorosis. The list of symptoms mentioned in various sources for Fluorosis includes :-
Chalky white teeth patches
Yellow stained teeth
Brown stained teeth
Discolored teeth
Weak teeth
Treatment
Many people with spinal stenosis can be effectively treated with conservative measures. But if you have disabling pain or your ability to walk is severely impaired, your doctor may recommend spinal surgery.
Vitamins C and D, and, salts of Calcium, Magnesium or Aluminum were prescribed in an attempt to reverse these effects. The choice of the reported therapy was logical. The presence of calcium in gut directly affects the absorption of fluoride ions and will also improve serum calcium levels. Vitamin D in low doses enhances calcium absorption and retention without causing hypercalcemia and thus directly affects the absorption of fluoride ions. It also inhibits the excessive release of parathyroid hormone thereby preventing excessive activation of osteoblasts thus preventing hyperosteoidosis and osteopenia.
http://www.marketingarticlebank.com
Fluorosis are describes as a state of toxicity of the trace element. It is occurring due to fluorine (commonly referred to in its ionic state as Fluoride) within an organism. Fluorosis is not limited to humans, and can affect any aspect of the ecosystem.
It could well be the result of fluorosis. It is mostly affect people in rural India with no access to safe drinking water. It's time to include it in the long list of urban lifestyle diseases.
Fluoride can affect bones and skeleton, due to this severe pain in major joints. 66 million people in India, including 6 million children, either affected or at high risk of fluorosis. This includes 6 million children in the 6-14 age groups.
Fluorosis is a crippling and painful disease due to caused by intake of fluoride. Fluoride can enter the body through drinking water, food, toothpaste, mouth rinses and other dental products; drugs, and fluoride dust and fumes from industries using fluoride containing salt and or hydrofluoric acid.
Dental fluorosis occurs in children who are exposed to a high intake of fluoride before the teeth fully mineralize. It is mainly accour in children before 12-14 years of age. The disease is more prevalent in rural areas where drinking water is use from wells or hand pumps. The disease is more likely to occur in areas where the drinking water has a fluoride content of more than 1ppm (part per million), and in children who have a poor intake of calcium.
Symptoms
Fluorosis may vary on an individual basis for each patient. Only your doctor can provide adequate diagnosis of symptoms and whether they are indeed symptoms of fluorosis. The list of symptoms mentioned in various sources for Fluorosis includes :-
Chalky white teeth patches
Yellow stained teeth
Brown stained teeth
Discolored teeth
Weak teeth
Treatment
Many people with spinal stenosis can be effectively treated with conservative measures. But if you have disabling pain or your ability to walk is severely impaired, your doctor may recommend spinal surgery.
Vitamins C and D, and, salts of Calcium, Magnesium or Aluminum were prescribed in an attempt to reverse these effects. The choice of the reported therapy was logical. The presence of calcium in gut directly affects the absorption of fluoride ions and will also improve serum calcium levels. Vitamin D in low doses enhances calcium absorption and retention without causing hypercalcemia and thus directly affects the absorption of fluoride ions. It also inhibits the excessive release of parathyroid hormone thereby preventing excessive activation of osteoblasts thus preventing hyperosteoidosis and osteopenia.
http://www.marketingarticlebank.com
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Environmental Geology
Survey:
Fluorine distribution in waters of Nalgonda District, Andhra Pradesh, India
Journal Environmental Geology
Publisher Springer Berlin / Heidelberg
ISSN 0943-0105 (Print) 1432-0495 (Online)
Issue Volume 21, Numbers 1-2 / April, 1993
DOI 10.1007/BF00775055
Pages 84-89
Subject Collection Earth and Environmental Science
SpringerLink Date Monday, December 13, 2004
A Study:
Abstract Geochemical and hydrochemical studies were conducted in Nalgonda District (A.P.), to explore the causes of high fluorine in waters, causing a widespread incidence of fluorosis in the local population. Samples of granitic rocks, soils, stream sediments, and waters were analyzed for F and other salient chemical parameters. Samples from the area of Hyderabad city were analyzed for comparison. The F content of waters in areas with endemic fluorosis ranges from 0.4 to 20 mg/l. The low calcium content of rocks and soils, and the presence of high levels of sodium bicarbonate in soils and waters are important factors favoring high levels of F in waters.
http://www.springerlink.com/content/j7074q47g4612829/
Skeletal Fluorosis
Skeletal Fluorosis
Dr. D. Raja Reddy., F.R.C.S., F.R.A.C.S. Apollo Hospital & Dr. Srikanth R.Deme., F.R.C.S.C
Introduction: Fluorine, a gaseous element is a halogen which being most electronegative and reactive of all elements does not occur in free form in nature। This element was isolated in 1886 by Nobel laureate Henri Moissan and it combines directly with most elements and indirectly with few to form fluorides. Fluorides are ubiquitous in nature and are present in rocks, soil, water, plants, foods and even air.
The relationship between fluoride and dental caries was first noted in the early part of the 20th century when it was observed that residents of certain areas of U.S.A. developed brown stains on their teeth. These stained teeth, though unsightly were highly resistant to dental decay and caries (Black and May 1916). In the 1930's it was discovered that the prevalence and severity of this type of mottled enamel was directly related to the amount of fluoride in the water (Smith et al. 1931). Subsequently it was recognized that fluoride consumption in optimal amounts in the water supply imparted protection against the development of dental caries without staining the teeth (Dean 1938). Another benefit of fluorides is that the incidence of osteoporosis seems to occur less frequently in regions with high fluoride content in water than in those in which the inhabitants consumed little fluoride. Although, the importance of this element to normal mineralization of hard tissues and formation of caries resistant enamel has been recognized, there has been as yet no conclusive evidence proving that it is an essential element for human health (McClure 1970). Indeed, fluoride deficiency syndrome is yet to be described. This may be due to the fact that human body requirement of this micronutrient must be small, which is met with naturally through food and water. Excessive ingestion of fluoride through water, food or dust causes acute toxicity or a debilitating disease called 'fluorosis' a term coined and first used by Cristiani and Gautier in 1925. Acute fluoride intoxication is rarely seen and results most frequently from accidental ingestion of large amounts of fluoride compounds. The acute lethal dose of fluoride for the 70 kg man is 2.5-5.0 grams. Chronic fluoride poisoning is more common and can affect animals as well as humans. Excessive intake during pre-eruptive stage of teeth leads to dental fluorosis and further continued ingestion over years and decades causes bony or skeletal fluorosis. Lastly crippling disease produces neurological manifestations. A disease in animals called 'gaddur' believed to have arisen from fluoride intoxication caused by periodic volcanic eruptions that have been taking place since 1000 AD is mentioned in Icelandic literature (Roholm 1937). A disease of the teeth and bones of horses and cattle called 'darmous' was known to have been prevalent in North African coast for centuries and later came to be identified as one caused by fluorides (Velu 1933).
All states of India except northeast reported cases of fluorosis and 25 to 30 million people are exposed to high fluoride intake and half a million suffer from skeletal fluorosis। In China 300 million people are living in endemic areas of fluorosis of whom 40 million have dental fluorosis and 3 million suffer from skeletal changes (Li and Cao 1994).
Total daily fluoride intake: The fluoride contents from all the sources determine the human intake of fluoride. In majority of endemic areas around the world, the main contribution is from water and only in few areas of India and China significant amounts come from foods and rarely the polluted air is the culprit. The estimated range of safe and adequate intake of fluorides for adults is 1.5 to 4.0 mg per day and it is less for children and those with renal disease. The daily intake of fluoride in endemic regions varies from 10 to 35 mg and can be even higher in summer months.
Dental fluorosis: Dental fluorosis mainly involves enamel but severe intoxications may affect dentine as well as pulp. Enamel fluorosis occurs when fluoride concentrations in or in the vicinity of the forming enamel are excessive during its pre-eruptive development. Mottling of teeth is one of the earliest and most easily recognizable features noticed in the first decade of life.
Both sexes are equally affected। It is the permanent teeth that are affected and they lose their normal creamy white translucent color and become rough, opaque and chalky white. Pitting and chipping are other marks of fluorosis. Brown or black pigment gets deposited on the defective enamel and once established tends to remain there permanently. Incidence of dental fluorosis in endemic areas exhibits a linear relationship to the fluoride content of water but it may also vary with other factors (Jolly et al 1968). Dental fluorosis does not obviously occur, when there has been no exposure to fluoride in the first decade of life.
http://images.google.co.in/imgres?imgurl=http://www.medvarsity.com/vmu1.2/dmr/dmrdata/cme/fluorosis/gifs/Map-1.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.medvarsity.com/vmu1.2/dmr/dmrdata/cme/fluorosis/Fluorosis.htm&h=649&w=419&sz=84&hl=en&start=19&um=1&tbnid=uHXpbJgq9TQ9BM:&tbnh=137&tbnw=88&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dfluorosis%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DG
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