Skeletal+fluorosis

=__What is [|Skeletal fluorosis]?__= Skeletal fluorosis is a complicated disease which progresses in stages- exclusively caused by over-consumption of fluoride. The fluoride begins to push away and replace the other nutrients that make up bone, such as calcium.

=__What are the causes of [|Skeletal fluorosis]?__= The most common causes of fluorosis would include drinking fluoride from drinking water or tea, especially something known as [|brick tea]. Other common causes would include inhalation of fluoride from dusts or fumes while working in factories, or use of coal as a source of fuel while indoors. It is even endemic in some areas, and in India it is very common. It mostly spurs from the water they pull up from deep borewells, which is full of fluoride. Skeletal Fluorosis is found to be most widespread in India and China, the two largest countries. skeletal fluorosis is unfortunately affecting millions of people. The World Health Organization, or WHO, has made recent estimates that about 2.7 million people in China are affected by the crippling illness. In India, about half of its states (seventeen) are considered **endemic** areas, or regions where a particular disease occurs often. When the fluoride content of water exceeds one part per million (1 ppm), surveys have found that is where skeletal fluorosis occurs, and any water reserve in China that goes over this fluoride concertration amount is a risk. However, in the United States, about 1 ppm of fluoride is purposely added to water to reduce tooth decay.

=__What are the symptoms of fluorosis?__= Fluorosis progresses in stages- these are called osteoclerotic phases. = = =__Areas mainly affected:__= While most common in the large countries of India and China, [|UNICEF] believes that fluorosis has become endemic in at least 25 countries. The total number is unknown, however a rough estimate of "in the tens of millions" is given. In China, WHO estimates around 2.7 million people have a crippling form of skeletal fluorosis. In India, 17 of its 32 states have been claimed as endemic areas- this leaves 66 million people endangered and at least 6 million already suffering. In both India and China, the main cause would be water with a fluoride concentration exceeding [|1 part per million], and has even been seen in areas with only 0.7 part per million. Now, the Chinese government has claimed any water supply with over 1 ppm to be a serious risk for skeletal fluorosis. The United States also has been mildly affected, as they intentionally add 1 ppm to all drinking water. The maximum amount of fluoride allowed to be placed into water would be 4 ppm, as decided by the [|US Environmental Protection Agency].
 * The first stage is when the bone is still normal, with an ash content of 500 to 1,000 mgF/kg.
 * It then progresses to the preclinical phase, in which there are slight radiographically-detectable increases in bone mass, although it is still mainly [|asymptomatic]. Ash concentration is 3,500 to 5,500 mgF/kg.
 * Once it reaches 6,000 to 7,000, it enters Clinical phase I. Here, the affected party would experience sporadic pain, stiffness of joints, and [|osteosclerosis] of the pelvis and vertebral spine.
 * 7,500 to 9,000 brings you into the second clinical phase. Here, chronic pain, slight calcification of ligaments, increased cancellous and osteoclorosis bones, and occasionally osteoporosis of long bones.
 * One more step up to phase III and 9,000, and fluorosis becomes crippling. You lose mobility in your joints, the ligaments of your neck vertebral column calcifies, your spine and major joints experience crippling deformities, your spinal cord is compressed (causing neurological damage,) and finally your muscle begins wasting away.=[[image:http://farm1.static.flickr.com/40/97213154_630ebed77c.jpg width="232" height="310" align="right" link="http://flickr.com/photos/87238434@N00/97213154/"]]=

=__Is there a [|cure] for skeletal fluorosis?__= No, there is no actual known cure of skeletal fluorosis- especially if one allows it to develop to the point where it is crippling. The only thing used to keep it down would be prevention. In India for example, they plan to help prevent the endemic skeletal fluorosis by defluoridation of water and checking fluoride content of the urine of workers. Medical therapy and surgical management of neurological manifestations are also to be used. Some of these also pertain to industrial skeletal fluorosis, and workers found with too much fluoride in their urine are to be pulled from work immediately.