Comparison of Studies: Effects of Fluoride concentration in Drinking Water

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Since the implementation of artificially introducing fluoride into water, a great amount of resistance has taken place. Many people claim that fluoridating community water sources can cause not only dental fluorosis, but a multitude of adverse systemic conditions. This perception has led to many political battles on the subject. The problems associated with fluoride ingestion tend to present when concentrations are higher that generally accepted. In communities with natural high fluoride concentrations, adverse effects have range from dental and skeletal fluorosis to decreased birth rates, increased kidney stones, impaired thyroid function, and lower intelligence (Chen, 2013, p. 1). These tend to be the concerns of the opposition to community fluoridation of water supplies. However, these concerns may not be scientifically sound.
A study was done in China to measure the systemic concentration of fluoride with varying exposure levels and the effects on bone metabolism indicators. The main sources of excessive fluoride exposure are in the drinking water, from contact with naturally occurring deposits of fluoride and coal pollution, and ingesting brick tea infusions (Chen, 2013, p. 1). Five villages were selected for the study based on drinking water related fluorosis rates (Chen, 2013, p. 1). This made it an ideal population for the study, making it possible to measure the urinary fluoride concentration in higher fluoride areas and allow monitoring of concentration levels when drinking water concentration was decreased. Measuring the amount of urinary fluoride is an indicator of systemic exposure and dose for effect of bone metabolism (Chen, 2013, p. 1). Generally, the findings related to this measure showed lower concentrations of...

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...ase products containing it. However, the people who benefit the most often do not have the financial means to have constant access to these products. Not only do they not have the financial means, but the levels of compliance are not always consistent. The article on Ireland makes the point that,” … the effectiveness does not require conscious daily cooperation from individuals” (Harding & O'Mullane, 2013, p. 132). This makes it the ideal product for the prevention of dental caries.

References

Chen, e. a. (2013). Change of urinary fluoride and bone metabolism indicators in the endemic fluorosis areas of southern china after supplyin low fluoride public water. BMC Public Health, 13, p. 156. doi:10.1186/1471-2458-13-156
Harding, M. A., & O'Mullane, D. M. (2013). Water fluoridation and oral health. Acta Medica Academica, 42(2), 131-139. doi:10.5644/ama2006-124.81

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