fluoride

Fluoride is the inorganic anion of the element fluorine with the chemical formula F−. It is a monatomic anion and represents the reduced form of elemental fluorine. Fluoride occurs naturally in minerals and water and is widely used in medicine and industry. In human health, fluoride's primary mechanism of action is to strengthen tooth enamel by promoting remineralization and inhibiting demineralization, thereby preventing dental caries (tooth decay). Fluoride can also inhibit certain enzymes such as phosphatases by mimicking nucleophilic hydroxide ions at their active sites[1][3][6]. In pharmaceuticals and oral care products (such as toothpaste or mouthwash), it is most commonly delivered as sodium fluoride or sodium monofluorophosphate. Industrially, various forms of fluoride are used in metal production (notably aluminum smelting), organofluorine chemistry for drug synthesis, water treatment for public health purposes (water fluoridation), laboratory reagents for enzyme inhibition studies, and other applications[1][5].

Brand names

Sodium Fluoride F-18Fluoride Chewable Tablets

Other names

F−fluoride ionfluorurefluoridanion of fluorine