Dietary fluoride in different areas in the United States

Abstract

A limited comparison of the dietary fluoride content in different areas in the United States was made. Although the sample tested was small, the studies have shown that the fluoride content of the diets obtained from different fluoridated areas varied greatly, by a factor of 2. This variability in dietary fluoride did not correspond to the degree of water fluoridation, although the fluoride content of the water also varied by a factor of approximately 2. In fluoridated areas the dietary fluoride content, exclusive of the drinking water, ranged from 1.7 to 3.4 mg/day, and in nonfluoridated areas the fluoride intake was approximately 1.0 mg/day.