[Biggie2424]

I am in Year 12, going onto Year 13 this September, and I have been working on an EPQ (Extended Project Qualification). To put it simply, it's basically just a dissertation, but there are other admin-related tasks that come with it. My title is: 'To what extent is it safe to use fluoride in water and dental products and should we continue to do so?'. One thing that I wish to explore is the chemistry behind why fluoride can be harmful. However upon doing quite a bit of research, I have found nothing. Is it possible for me to discuss this? Or is it too complicated? If anyone could maybe give me a brief explanation or point me towards some resources that would help me out, I would really appreciate it

[Borek]

You mean chemistry behind things like dental fluorosis?

[Orcio_87]

Concentration of fluorine in drinking water is limited to 1,5 mg / liter in Canada, China and European Union, but to 4,0 mg / liter in the United States.

Higher concentrations of fluorine can be harmful due to the dental or worse - skeletal fluorosis - when fluorine causes substition of Ca₃(PO₄)₂ in bones (Ca₃(PO₄)₂ ----> CaF₂)

[Babcock_Hall]

It has long been known that fluoride ion inhibits glycolysis, but whether or not this is relevant to your question is not something that I can answer.  You could try a search using PubMed.

[Biggie2424]

@Orcio_Dojek Thanks for the help. Can you please explain the substitution of Ca3(PO4)2 in the bones a little bit more? Or refer me to some good sources of information about it? I can't seem to find anything about it anywhere. Thanks!

[Babcock_Hall]

Have you tried to search using PubMed?

[Biggie2424]

Yes

[Babcock_Hall]

"The effect of fluoride on apatite structure and growth" Biol Med. 1997;8(2):136-53.  doi: 10.1177/10454411970080020301.

Sometimes you have to play around with the PubMed search terms a bit.