Abstract: Water fluoridation is a common practice in different parts of the
world, mostly as a means of decontaminating water. It has been used in
developed, as well as in developing countries. In recent years, however, other
countries have minimized, even eliminated its use due to health issues. In
Central Asia, usage of fluoride is profoundly extant, thus occasioning the
citizens' exposure to various health risks. An excessive level of fluoride
causes various health issues, mostly on dental and skeletal fluorosis which
often leads to vulnerabilities in the bones and teeth. Studies also indicate
that excessive levels of fluoride have been known to contribute to poor
neurological development among children, hip fractures to older adults, as well
as osterosclerosis. Moreover, the review has concluded that fluoride
contamination in ground water is very high in India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. In
contrast, fluoride levels are below threshold value of 1.5 mg/L in Bangladesh.
Fluorosis cases have been observed in Nepal but available data is quite
unsystematic and incomplete, thus rendering them of no statistical
significance. In India, districts such as Kerala, Gujrat, Bakresh (West
Bengal), Khudra (Orissa), Manikaran (Himachal Pradesh), Unkeeher (Maharashtra)
and Tattapani (Chattisgarh) are currently facing a high level of fluoride. In
Pakistan, fluoride data of 29 major cities are reviewed and 34% of the cities
show fluoride levels with mean value greater than 1.5 mg/L where Lahore and
Quetta are having the maximum values of 23.60 mg/L and 24.48 mg/L,
respectively. Sri Lankan dry zone is polluted with fluoride having maximum
value of 8.00 mg/L. Considering these verities, health authorities urgently
need to establish alternative means of water decontamination in order to prevent
associated health problems.
Keywords: Fluoride, fluorisis, health effects, bones deformation, adsorption
