Fluorine excess

The primary adverse effects associated with chronic, excess fluoride intake are enamel and skeletal fluorosis. Enamel fluorosis is a dose-response effect caused by fluoride intake during the pre-eruptive development of teeth. The development of skeletal fluorosis and its severity is directly related to the level and duration of exposure. The clinical signs in advanced stages may include dose-related calcification of ligaments, osteosclerosis, exostoses, possibly osteoporosis of long bones, muscle wasting and neurological defects due to hypercalcification of vertebrae.