Fluoride Toxicity- A Systematic Review

Objective to review toxicity of fluoride on health Material and Methods Search of 28 electronic databases and World Wide Web. Relevant journals hand searched, further information requested from authors. Inclusion criteria were a predefined hierarchy of evidence and objectives. Study validity was assessed with checklists. Two reviewers independently screened sources, extracted data, and assessed validity. Results There are some undesirable side effects, that can accompany the desirable outcome of reduced caries in the community. The toxic effects of large doses of fluoride are predominantly confined to the teeth and skeletal system, with secondary involvement of the nervous system in advance and crippling fluorosis. Conclusion There is experimental evidence of the toxic effects of fluoride in large concentration on the thyroid, kidney, and other organs but overt clinical disturbances in the function of these organs have not been described in endemic fluorosis.