Abstract
Recent studies suggest that fluoride may be genotoxic. While the concentration of fluoride in artificially fluoridated water (1 mg Fl-1) is generally considered to be “safe”, levels of fluoride present in a number of widely used dental health products, such as fluoride-containing toothpaste, appear to be potentially mutagenic. Since fluoride is increasingly being used as a drug, and contamination of the total environment by fluoride emissions and solid wastes from industry is a growing problem, a review of the evidence regarding the potential mutagenicity of fluoride may be in order.
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Genetic toxicity of fluoride
F- is not mutagenic in standard bacterial systems, but produces chromosome aberrations and gene mutations in cultured mammalian cells. Although there is disagreement in the literature concerning the ability of F- to induce chromosome aberrations in cultured human and rodent cells, the weight of the evidence leads to the conclusion
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Induction of micronuclei by sodium fluoride
More than 500 million people live in communities with artificially or naturally fluoridated drinking water that has been treated with 1 ppm or more of fluoride. Workers in aluminum plants, phosphate fertilizer plants and other fluoride-related factories are also exposed to high concentrations of fluoride. It is reported that workers
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Chromosomal aberrations and sister-chromatid exchanges in Lithuanian populations: effects of occupational and environmental exposures
Cytogenetic analysis of chromosomal aberrations (CA) in 175,229 cells from 1113 individuals, both unexposed and occupationally or environmentally exposed to heavy metals (mercury and lead), organic (styrene, formaldehyde, phenol and benzo(a)pyrene) and inorganic (sulfur and nitrogen oxides, hydrogen and ammonium fluorides) volatile substances and/or ionizing radiation was performed. In addition,
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Cytotoxicity, chromosome aberrations and unscheduled DNA synthesis in cultured human diploid fibroblasts induced by sodium fluoride
The effects of exposure of cultured human diploid fibroblasts (JHU-1 cells) to sodium fluoride have been studied with respect to cytotoxicity and induction of chromosome aberrations and unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) Cytotoxicity of NaF on JHU-1 cells, as determined by a decrease in colony-forming ability, linearly increased with increasing dose
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Analysis of chromosomal abnormalities at anaphase-telophase induced by sodium fluoride in vitro
Don Chinese-hamster cells were treated with 25, 50, or 75 micrograms/milliliter (microg/ml) of sodium-fluoride (7681494) to determine the chromosomal effects of fluoride exposure on these cells. Cultures were assayed at 12, 24, and 36 hours after initiation of treatment. Chromosomal aberrations were recorded for all the concentrations used. Maximum effect
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Micronucleus and Sister Chromatid Exchange Frequency in Endemic Fluorosis
The rise of sister chromatid exchange (SCE) and micronucleus (MN) in the peripheral blood lymphocytes of the fluorine-intoxicated patients indicates that fluorine is a mutagenic agent which can cause DNA and chromosomal damage.
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NTP Bioassay on Fluoride/Cancer (1990)
In 1977, the U.S. Congress requested that animal studies be conducted to determine if fluoride can cause cancer. The result of the Congressional request was an extensive animal study conducted in the 1980s by the National Toxicology Program (NTP) and published in 1990. The main finding of NTP's study was a dose-dependent increase in osteosarcoma (bone cancer) among the fluoride-treated male rats.
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Fluoride/Osteosarcoma Link Is Biologically Plausible
The "biological plausiblility" of a fluoride-osteosarcoma link is widely acknowledged in the scientific literature. The biological plausibility centers around three facts: 1) Bone is the principal site of fluoride accumulation, particularly during the growth spurts of childhood; 2) Fluoride is a mutagen when present at sufficient concentrations, and 3) Fluoride can stimulate the proliferation of osteoblasts (bone-forming cells).
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Fluoride's Mutagenicity: In vivo Studies
Consistent with dozens of in vitro studies, a number of in vivo studies, in both humans and animals, have found evidence of fluoride-induced genetic damage. In particular, research on humans exposed to high levels of fluoride have found increased levels of "sister chromatid exchange" (SCE). As noted in one study: "In
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Fluoride & Liver Cancers in NTP Bioassay
On October 28, 1988, Battelle Columbus Laboratories submitted its Final Report to the NTP concerning the results of the Mouse study. The principal finding of Battelle's report was that a dose-dependent increase of a rare liver cancer (hepatocholangiocarcinoma) had occurred in the fluoride-treated male and female mice.
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