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Fluoride and Bone Health

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Nutrition and Bone Health

Part of the book series: Nutrition and Health ((NH))

Abstract

The halogen fluorine is ubiquitous in nature, counted among the 15 more abundant elements on the earth’s surface. Accordingly, it is commonly found in soils, water, plants, and animal tissues (1). The ionic form of fluorine, fluoride, is the most electronegative of the elements of the periodic system. It combines reversibly with hydrogen to form the very aggressive acid “hydrogen fluoride” (HF). Because of its high affinity for calcium, fluoride is attracted by calcified tissues, i.e., bone and teeth (2).

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  1. Johann D. Ringe
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Dermatology, Physiology, and Biophysics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA

    Michael F. Holick PhD, MD

  2. Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA

    Bess Dawson-Hughes MD

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Ringe, J.D. (2004). Fluoride and Bone Health. In: Holick, M.F., Dawson-Hughes, B. (eds) Nutrition and Bone Health. Nutrition and Health. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-740-6_21

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-740-6_21

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-61737-451-7

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