Key Points
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Highlights the large impact that the fluoride content of drinking water has on the total daily fluoride intake of very young children.
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Illustrates that diet is the only source of fluoride intake for most infants.
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Stresses the need for dental professionals to evaluate the daily fluoride intake of their young child patients before making any recommendations for fluoride use.
Abstract
Objectives Data on fluoride exposure of infants are sparse. This study aimed to estimate total daily fluoride intake (TDFI) of infants aged 1-12 months, living in non-fluoridated and fluoridated areas in north-east England.
Methods Daily dietary fluoride intake was assessed using a three-day food diary coupled with analysis of fluoride content of food/drink consumed, using a F-ISE and diffusion method. A questionnaire with an interview was used to collect information on toothbrushing habits. TDFI was estimated from diet, plus fluoride supplements and dentifrice ingestion where used.
Results Thirty-eight infants completed the study; 19 receiving fluoridated water (mean 0.97 mgF/l) and 19 receiving non-fluoridated water (mean 0.19 mgF/l). Mean (SD) TDFI for the infants living in fluoridated and non-fluoridated areas was 0.107 (0.054) and 0.024 (0.015) mg/kg body weight per day, respectively. Diet was the only fluoride source for 87% of infants and none used fluoride supplements. For infants for whom mouth/teeth cleaning was undertaken, dentifrice contribution to TDFI ranged from 24 to 78%.
Conclusions Infants living in fluoridated areas, in general, may receive a fluoride intake, from diet only, of more than the suggested optimal range for TDFI. This emphasises the importance of estimating TDFI at an individual level when recommendations for fluoride use are being considered.
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Acknowledgements
The present study was funded by a grant from the Organix Foundation, which was disclosed to the study participants. The authors report no conflicts of interest. The views expressed in this paper are those of the authors and not those of the funding body. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. AM and FVZ designed the research and drafted the manuscript. GW collected the information and samples. GW and FVZ analysed the data. PJM was involved in conceptualisation of the research and in manuscript drafting.
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Zohoori, F., Whaley, G., Moynihan, P. et al. Fluoride intake of infants living in non-fluoridated and fluoridated areas. Br Dent J 216, E3 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.2014.35
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.2014.35
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