FLUORIDE CONCENTRATION IN DENTIN OF HUMAN PERMANENT TEETH

Among various types of biological materials used in the assessment of the risk of fluoride (F) exposure, special importance is given to mineralized tissues which reflect long term accumulation of F. The aim of the present paper is to investigate F concentration in dentin of permanent teeth of residents of Poland in relation to environmental factors. The study material consisted of teeth (incisors, canines, premolars, and molars) from 74 residents of Poland, extracted due to medical reasons with the exception of dental caries. Following teeth extraction, the patients were asked to complete a questionnaire concerning date of birth (before or after the cessation of drinking water fluoridation in Poland in 1995), use of F-containing toothpaste in oral hygiene, and consumption of F in certain food products. Determination of F content in teeth was conducted using the potentiometric method. There were significant differences in F concentration in dentin of patients born before or after the year 1995. The use of F-containing toothpaste was found to have a significant effect on F content in dentin. The study did not confirm significant differences between frequency of marine fish and tea consumption and an increase of F content in dentin.