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posted by Fnord666 on Friday February 21 2020, @04:10PM   Printer-friendly
from the something-to-sink-your-teeth-into dept.

Arthur T Knackerbracket has found the following story:

Exposing teeth to excessive fluoride alters calcium signaling, mitochondrial function, and gene expression in the cells forming tooth enamel -- a novel explanation for how dental fluorosis, a condition caused by overexposure to fluoride during childhood, arises. The study, led by researchers at NYU College of Dentistry, is published in Science Signaling.

Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that helps to prevent cavities by promoting mineralization and making tooth enamel more resistant to acid. It is added to drinking water around the world -- the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends a level of 0.7 parts per million -- and all toothpastes backed by the American Dental Association's Seal of Acceptance contain fluoride. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) named water fluoridation one of 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century for its role in reducing tooth decay.

While low levels of fluoride help strengthen and protect tooth enamel, too much fluoride can cause dental fluorosis -- a discoloration of teeth, usually with opaque white marks, lines, or mottled enamel and poor mineralization. Dental fluorosis occurs when children between birth and around nine years of age are exposed to high levels fluoride during this critical window when their teeth are forming, and can actually increase their risk of tooth decay. A survey by the CDC found that roughly 25 percent of the U.S. population examined (ages 6 to 49) show some degree of dental fluorosis.

"The benefits of fluoride for oral health considerably outweigh the risks. But given how common dental fluorosis is and how poorly understood the cellular mechanisms responsible for this disease are, it is important to study this problem," said Rodrigo Lacruz, PhD, associate professor of basic science and craniofacial biology at NYU College of Dentistry and the study's senior author.

Francisco J. Aulestia, Johnny Groeling, Guilherme H. S. Bomfim, Veronica Costiniti, Vinu Manikandan, Ariya Chaloemtoem, Axel R. Concepcion, Yi Li, Larry E. Wagner, Youssef Idaghdour, David I. Yule, Rodrigo S. Lacruz. Fluoride exposure alters Ca2 signaling and mitochondrial function in enamel cells. Science Signaling, 2020; 13 (619): eaay0086 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.aay0086


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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 21 2020, @05:47PM (3 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 21 2020, @05:47PM (#960741)

    > When I was a kid we all had massive fluoride treatments

    Roughly what years are you talking here? Born mid-1950s, I don't recall anything like this. Tooth cleanings every 6 months at the dentist probably used a high fluoride tooth paste / polishing compound. Plenty of water flush during the process with vacuum removal or spitting out.

    What you describe sounds like someone deciding that, "if a little is good, more must be better". People usually don't work that way!

    I use a normal toothpaste (with fluoride), but very little, squirt out less than half the length of the brush. Any more than that and my mouth is full of foam, which is irritating (and may cause an involuntary swallow).

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 21 2020, @05:54PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 21 2020, @05:54PM (#960743)

    I was a kid in the 80s... Even by the 90s that seemed to have slowed down fluoride treatments for my younger siblings.

  • (Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Friday February 21 2020, @06:10PM (1 child)

    by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Friday February 21 2020, @06:10PM (#960749) Journal

    I vaguely recall something of the sort in school. We were given a little bitty paper cup of something to drink, as well as a weird little pill that we were supposed to allow to dissolve in our mouths. The pill made your teeth pink, and highlighted problems in your teeth. I think we did this in second grade - which, in my case would be 1962-63 school year, and again in 4th grade. It's one of those things I haven't remembered or thought about, but I do remember it now that it has been mentioned.

    • (Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 21 2020, @07:05PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 21 2020, @07:05PM (#960792)

      That was the red dye that's since been removed from the market for causing cancer. Really.