HEALTH EFFECTS: Fluoride & Osteoclasts
Fluoride & Osteoclasts:
"The effect of fluoride on osteoclasts is less well understood than its effect on osteoblasts, and is complicated by a possible effect of fluoride-induced secondary hyperparathyroidism."
SOURCE: Chachra D, et al. (1999). The effect of fluoride treatment on bone mineral in rabbits. Calcified Tissue International 64:345-351.
"Trabecular resorption was increased, as assessed by the osteoclastic surface, and the number of osteoclasts."
SOURCE: Orcel P, et al. (1990). Stress fractures of the lower limbs in osteoporotic patients treated with fluoride. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research 5(Suppl 1): S191-4.
"Bone resorption features indicated that, following short-term administration of NaF, there was a marked increase in trabecular surface exhibiting Howship's lacunae when compared with age- and weight-matched intact and nontreated sprayed Beagle dams... These findings would suggest that the efficiency of individual osteoclasts was increased with NaF administration. Further evidence is provided by the significant decrease in osteoclast number seen in the fluoride-exposed dams...Thus, fewer cells appeared to be resorbing more bone than did their counterparts in intact or sprayed dams."
SOURCE: Snow GR, Anderson C. (1986). Short-term chronic fluoride administration and trabecular bone remodeling in beagles: a pilot study. Calcified Tissue International 38: 217-221.
"Osteoclastic resorptive activity was increased (p <.001), but no evidence of hyperparathyroidism was noted."
SOURCE: Vigorita VJ, Suda MK. (1983). The microscopic morphology of fluoride-induced bone. Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research 177:274-282.
"the resorptive activity of osteoclasts per unit of resorbing surface was increased suggesting that the total number of osteoclasts was increased (i.e. that the differenntiation of osteoprogenitor cells to osteoclasts was stimulated)... In view of the results of this study and those of others, it is probable that osteoclastic bone resorption is increased in humans treated with fluoride."
SOURCE: Baylink D, et al. (1970). Effects of fluoride on bone formation, mineralization, and resorption in the rat. In: TL Vischer, ed. (1970). Fluoride in Medicine. Hans Huber, Bern. pp. 37-69.
"Although there was an increased number of resorbing osteons or resorption spaces in some fluoride-treated patients, this does not necessarily indicate that the total osteoclastic bone-resorption rate (BRR) was increased. The cytologic features of some osteoclasts were suggestive of decreased functional activity. Furthermore, the normal relationship between osteoclast number and BRR may be altered because of the reduced bone-mineral solubility in fluorotic bone."
SOURCE: Baylink DJ, Bernstein DS. (1967). The effects of fluoride therapy on metabolic bone disease. Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research 55: 51-85.
"At high dosages (1 mg F/day) osteosclerosis is seen within a year; later, resorption cavities occur. At more moderate dosages (0.3 mg F/day) no osteosclerosis is seen but resorption cavities sometimes occur, however... The resorption cavities which occur in the animals show a micro-radiographic picture which would be expected from increased osteoclastic activity. These pictures have a distinct resemblance to the microradiograms of bone following radium radiation..."
SOURCE: Rockert H. (1963). X-ray absorption and x-ray fluorescence micro-analysis of mineralized tissue of rats which have ingested fluoridated water. Acta Pathologica et Microbiologica Scandinavica 59: 32-38.
"In the fluoride-treated animals at 60 and 90 days, there was evidence of increase in the number of osteoblasts in productive areas. On the other hand, osteoclasts were also more numerous."
SOURCE: Belanger LF, et al. (1958). Rachitomimetic effects of fluoride feeding on the skeletal tissues of growing pigs. American Journal of Pathology 34: 25-36.
You can help support our efforts to initiate legislative changes
and spread our message.