Caries reduction benefits must be balanced with riskfor mild and very mild fluorosis. The multiple sources forfluoride ingestion makes any assessment of patient exposure tofluoride, highly speculative.
Most developed countries have bannedfluoride in water.
In general, Americans are not warned of therisks of fluoride. Food and beverage labels do not includefluoride concentrations. Fluoride is the only chemical added to U.S.municipal water that is used to mass medicate, rather than torender water safe to drink. It is not an essential nutrient. Although fluoride can occur naturally in some watersupplies, the type of fluoride added to water is a hazardouswaste of the aluminum, uranium, and phosphate fertilizerindustries.