Effects of fluoride on bone in Finland. Histomorphometry of cadaver bone from low and high fluoride areas.

In three different areas of Finland, fluoride in bone and its effect on the histomorphometry of trabecular bone was studied. Bone samples were taken from cadavers from a low-fluoride area (fluoride concentration under 0.3 ppm), an area with fluoridated drinking water (1.0-1.2 ppm) and a high-fluoride area (over 1.5 ppm). The fluoride content in trabecular bone was greatly increased in the high-fluoride area, and it was also higher in the fluoridated-water area than in the low-fluoride area. Histomorphometric bone changes were markedly increased when the fluoride content in water exceeded 1.5 ppm.