fluoridmangel

Fluoridmangel, or fluoride deficiency, describes an insufficient intake or exposure to fluoride, a trace element important for dental enamel development and bone mineralization. In individuals, deficiency is most commonly linked to an increased risk of dental caries due to less resistant enamel; the systemic health impacts are less clearly defined, and most attention is on dental health.

Causes include low fluoride in drinking water, limited use of fluoride-containing toothpaste, and low dietary fluoride intake. Public health measures such as water fluoridation, along with topical fluoride applications and fluoride-containing dentifrices, aim to prevent fluoridmangel and reduce caries risk. In some regions fluoride exposure is naturally low, while others have high fluoride levels; any prevention strategy must balance the risk of deficiency with the risk of overexposure.

Symptoms and signs are primarily dental caries and enamel defects in children, with enamel hypomineralization possible if exposure occurs during tooth development. Systemic effects on bones are debated; most evidence supports dental caries as the main concern. Diagnosis is typically inferred from population caries patterns and measurement of fluoride exposure in water or toothpaste use; there is no routine clinical test for fluoride status.

Prevention and management include ensuring adequate but not excessive fluoride exposure: using fluoride toothpaste, consuming fluoridated water, and, for children in high-risk areas, supervised fluoride supplements as advised by health professionals. Conversely, avoiding excessive fluoride intake is important to prevent dental or skeletal fluorosis.