Biomaterial Database

Fluoride in dental products: safety considerations. 1987

G M Whitford

This review summarizes the nature of acute fluoride toxicity, its time-course, and the fluoride doses that are involved. The generally accepted "certainly lethal dose" range for 70 kg adults, i.e., from 5 to 10 g of sodium fluoride or from 32 to 64 mg fluoride/kg, is discussed. Based on recent case reports of fluoride-induced fatalities, it is concluded that this dose range has little utility in cases involving young children. The concept of a "probably toxic dose" (PTD) is advanced. The PTD, 5.0 mg F/kg, is defined as the dose of ingested fluoride that should trigger immediate therapeutic intervention and hospitalization because of the likelihood of serious toxic consequences. The concentrations and quantities of fluoride in selected dental products are discussed in relation to the PTD. It is concluded that, as these products are currently packaged, most of them contain quantities of fluoride sufficient to exceed the PTD for young children. Recommendations are made to reduce the risk of toxicity associated with their use.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D004304	Dosage Forms	Completed forms of the pharmaceutical preparation in which prescribed doses of medication are included. They are designed to resist action by gastric fluids, prevent vomiting and nausea, reduce or alleviate the undesirable taste and smells associated with oral administration, achieve a high concentration of drug at target site, or produce a delayed or long-acting drug effect.	Dosage Form,Form, Dosage,Forms, Dosage
D005458	Fluoride Poisoning	Poisoning that results from chronic or acute ingestion, injection, inhalation, or skin absorption of FLUORIDE compounds.	Poisoning, Fluoride,Fluoride Poisonings,Poisonings, Fluoride
D005459	Fluorides	Inorganic salts of hydrofluoric acid, HF, in which the fluorine atom is in the -1 oxidation state. (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed) Sodium and stannous salts are commonly used in dentifrices.	Fluoride
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012449	Safety	Freedom from exposure to danger and protection from the occurrence or risk of injury or loss. It suggests optimal precautions in the workplace, on the street, in the home, etc., and includes personal safety as well as the safety of property.	Safeties