Fluoride and Nutritional Osteoporosis: Physicochemical Data on Bones from an Experimental Study in Dogs

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Abstract
Osteoporosis was induced by feeding a low calcium-high phosphorus diet for 41 weeks to adult beagles. The effect of fluoride to modify this condition was examined by adding increasing levels to the purified diet; daily intake of fluoride was about 0, 25, 85, 300 and 1,000 µg/kg body weight. Radiographic and microradiographic examination of bones revealed no effects of added fluoride on the degree of osteoporosis. Densitometry of mandibles by 125I bone scanning showed that mineral mass decreased significantly with increased dietary fluoride. Specific gravity and ash per volume bone of long bones, vertebrae and frontal bone were not influenced by increased levels of fluoride. Calcium content in bone ash decreased slightly and phosphorus content increased significantly with increased dietary fluoride. Fluoride content in ash was proportional to dietary fluoride. Retention of fluoride in vertebrae exceeded by far that in long bones. Bending and tension tests on femur strips revealed no differences in biomechanical quality due to fluoride levels in the food.