PFPC Daily - February 23, 2005

Cao J, Liu JW, Tang LL, Sangbu DZ, Yu S, Zhou S, Yu Y, Qu HY -
"Dental and early-stage skeletal fluorosis in children induced by
fluoride in brick-tea" Fluoride 38(1):44-47 (2005)

Fluorosis from brick-tea was discovered during the last decade in
western and northern parts of China. Dental fluorosis has a high
prevalence among children in these brick-tea endemic areas, but
skeletal fluorosis does not normally become apparent until adulthood.
In July 2002 we examined 132 primary school children, age 8 to 13
years, in a low-fluoride area of Naqu County, Tibet, and found that
111 of the children (84.1%) had dental fluorosis from drinking
traditional brick-tea. Among these 111 children, 96 (86.5%) were
found by radiological examination to have developmental skeletal
abnormalities in the wrist. We view these findings as warning signs
of early-stage skeletal fluorosis indicating that dental fluorosis in
children should be considered more than a matter of cosmetic concern.

SEE ALSO:

Study: Today's Kids At Greater Risk For Wrist Fractures
http://www.theindychannel.com/health/2962396/detail.html

An increase of wrist fractures in older women living in fluoridated
areas was reported in a study by Phipps et al.:

Phipps KR, Orwoll ES, Mason JD, Cauley JA - "Community water
fluoridation, bone mineral density, and fractures: prospective study
of effects in older women" BMJ 321(7265):860-4 (2000)
http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/321/7265/860