Name __________________________________________ Date ________________________

Types of Fluoride
How many types of fluoride are there?
A lot. A whole lot. When the element of fluoride is combined with something else, it becomes a
fluoride compound. There is a vast range of fluorine-containing compounds because fluorine
has the capability of forming compounds with nearly all the elements. Here are some common
forms:
Sodium Fluoride is used in most toothpastes,
mouthwashes, dental varnish, dental preparations and
nutritional supplements. This same form of fluoride is used
as an insecticide and pesticide, as a preservative in glues,
as a growth inhibitor for bacteria, fungi and mold. Sodium
fluoride is also used in making steel and aluminum
products. Added to molten metal, sodium fluoride creates
a more uniform metal. Other industrial uses for sodium
fluoride include glass frosting and wood preservatives.
Sodium Fluoride is also used in the manufacture of
chemical and biological weapons. Although this form of
fluoride can be used for water fluoridation, the next two
forms listed are almost always used due to cost.
Calcium Fluoride (CaF2) is compound of calcium and fluorine which occurs naturally as the
mineral fluorite also called fluorspar. Most of the worlds fluorine comes from calcium
fluoride. Fluorides in general are toxic to humans, however CaF2 is considered the least toxic,
and even relatively harmless due to its extreme insolubility. Moreover, calcium is a well-known
antidote for fluoride poisoning. When an antidote exists in combination with a poison, it makes
the poison far less toxic to the body. Calcium fluoride is the form of fluoride commonly found in
natural, untreated waters.
Cryolite or Sodium Aluminum Fluoride is commonly used for aluminum smelting, though is also
a pesticide often applied directly to field crops, resulting in permitted fluoride residues in and
on fresh fruits and vegetables.
Name __________________________________________ Date ________________________
Types of Fluoride
How many types of fluoride are there?
A lot. A whole lot. When the element of fluoride is combined with something else, it becomes a
fluoride compound. There is a vast range of fluorine-containing compounds because fluorine
has the capability of forming compounds with nearly all the elements. Here are some common
forms:
Sodium Fluoride is used in most toothpastes,
mouthwashes, dental varnish, dental preparations and
nutritional supplements. This same form of fluoride is used
as an insecticide and pesticide, as a preservative in glues,
as a growth inhibitor for bacteria, fungi and mold. Sodium
fluoride is also used in making steel and aluminum
products. Added to molten metal, sodium fluoride creates
a more uniform metal. Other industrial uses for sodium
fluoride include glass frosting and wood preservatives.
Sodium Fluoride is also used in the manufacture of
chemical and biological weapons. Although this form of
fluoride can be used for water fluoridation, the next two
forms listed are almost always used due to cost.
Calcium Fluoride (CaF2) is compound of calcium and fluorine which occurs naturally as the
mineral fluorite also called fluorspar. Most of the worlds fluorine comes from calcium
fluoride. Fluorides in general are toxic to humans, however CaF2 is considered the least toxic,
and even relatively harmless due to its extreme insolubility. Moreover, calcium is a well-known
antidote for fluoride poisoning. When an antidote exists in combination with a poison, it makes
the poison far less toxic to the body. Calcium fluoride is the form of fluoride commonly found in
natural, untreated waters.
Cryolite or Sodium Aluminum Fluoride is commonly used for aluminum smelting, though is also
a pesticide often applied directly to field crops, resulting in permitted fluoride residues in and
on fresh fruits and vegetables.
Name __________________________________________ Date ________________________
Types of Fluoride
How many types of fluoride are there?
A lot. A whole lot. When the element of fluoride is combined with something else, it becomes a
fluoride compound. There is a vast range of fluorine-containing compounds because fluorine
has the capability of forming compounds with nearly all the elements. Here are some common
forms:
Sodium Fluoride is used in most toothpastes,
mouthwashes, dental varnish, dental preparations and
nutritional supplements. This same form of fluoride is used
as an insecticide and pesticide, as a preservative in glues,
as a growth inhibitor for bacteria, fungi and mold. Sodium
fluoride is also used in making steel and aluminum
products. Added to molten metal, sodium fluoride creates
a more uniform metal. Other industrial uses for sodium
fluoride include glass frosting and wood preservatives.
Sodium Fluoride is also used in the manufacture of
chemical and biological weapons. Although this form of
fluoride can be used for water fluoridation, the next two
forms listed are almost always used due to cost.
Calcium Fluoride (CaF2) is compound of calcium and fluorine which occurs naturally as the
mineral fluorite also called fluorspar. Most of the worlds fluorine comes from calcium
fluoride. Fluorides in general are toxic to humans, however CaF2 is considered the least toxic,
and even relatively harmless due to its extreme insolubility. Moreover, calcium is a well-known
antidote for fluoride poisoning. When an antidote exists in combination with a poison, it makes
the poison far less toxic to the body. Calcium fluoride is the form of fluoride commonly found in
natural, untreated waters.
Cryolite or Sodium Aluminum Fluoride is commonly used for aluminum smelting, though is also
a pesticide often applied directly to field crops, resulting in permitted fluoride residues in and
on fresh fruits and vegetables.
Fluorosilicic acid (H2SiF6) is commonly used for water fluoridation. This form of fluoride is a
toxic liquid by-product, acquired by scrubbing the chimney stacks of phosphate fertilizer
manufacture. Other names for it are hexafluorosilicic, hexafluosilicic, hydrofluosilicic, and
silicofluoric acid. The CDC approximates that 95% of our water is fluoridated with fluorosilicic
acid.
Sodium Fluorosilicate (Na2SiF6) is primarily added to public drinking water as a fluoridation agent. This
same compound is also used as an insecticide and a wood preservative. It is a classified hazardous
waste by-product of phosphate fertilizer manufacture which, if not put into our drinking water, must be
disposed of at hazardous waste facilities. Other names for it are Sodium Fluosilicate and Sodium Silica
Fluoride.
Stannous Fluoride is the popular name given to Tin (II) fluoride. Stannous fluoride is an additive to many
toothpastes because it does not become biologically inactive in the presence of calcium, as sodium
fluoride does.
Sulfuryl Fluoride is applied as a gas fumigant to kill insects and rodents. Using sulfuryl fluoride around
food products was not allowed due to its toxicity. In 2004 the EPA reversed this policy (following long
lobbying efforts by the manufacturer) and allowed its use on food. This opened the doors for food
processing companies nationwide to fumigate their facilities with sulfuryl fluoride, leaving high levels of
fluoride in and on foods and even food packaging. It has become acceptable for sulfuryl fluoride
fumigations to produce fluoride residues of 70 ppm in or on processed foods and 130 ppm in or on
wheat. There have been no labeling requirements for foods treated with sulfuryl fluoride, meaning that
consumers have had no way of knowing which foods are treated.
In January 2011 this decision was reversed and in about 3 years this fumigation of food reportedly will
stop.
Questions
1. Which is the safest kind of fluoride? _____________________________________________________
2. Which kind of fluoride is usually used in toothpaste, and is it safe? ____________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
3. Which kind of fluoride is usually added to drinking water and is it safe? _________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
Lesson taken from: http://fluoridedetective.com/types-of-fluoride/