The impact of water-borne fluoride on bone density

The fluoride concentrations in drinking water, urine and hair and the bone mineral densities (BMD) of 300 people (235 women, 65 men) residing in the G dansk region, were determined. The: mean water fluoride level in the cities of Gdansk, Gdynia, and Sopot was 0.32 mg/L; in Wislinka, a community locat ed near a phosphate industry waste disposal site, it was 1.69 mg/L; and in the Zutawy area with a high fluoride content in the soil, it was 2.74 mg/L. The mean fluoride concentrations in urine in the above mentioned localitie s were: 0.77 mg/L, 1.93 mg/L, and 2.89 mg/L, respectively; in hair: 4.13 mu g/g, 10.25 mu g/g, and 14.51 mu g/g, respectively. The mean values of BMD in the femur bone were 0.92 - 1.05 g/cm(2). High positive correlations (P < 0.001) were found between the fluoride concentrations in water and urine, in water and hair, in urine and hair, in water and BMD, and in urine and BM D. Negative correlations were found between age and BMD. The results of thi s study indicate that the fluoride level in waiter has an impact on the flu oride levels in urine and hair as well as on bone mineral density.