[Natural fluorides. The distinction between technically produced and naturally occurring fluorides in caries prophylaxis].

In the controversial discussion of the bio-availability of fluoride in caries prophylaxis by fluoridation, fluorides coming from the geochemical circulation to the biochemical circulation are sometimes differentiated from synthetic fluorides introduced into fluoride medication. The question as to whether such a differentiation is essential can be answered from the physical-chemical point of view. This requires a wide field of scientific research starting with geochemistry and the knowledge of fluoride deposits, sedimentology, hydrology, technology of inorganic and organic fluorine compounds, thermodynamics of dissolved fluorides, up to biocrystallography and biochemistry of fluorine.