fluoride in water causes dental fluorosis. But how exactly? This was not known till now. Scientists from Japan and usa have identified the molecule in the cell that makes one susceptible to fluorosis. They hope their findings would lead to a drug for the ailment that has no cure. It will also benefit those suffering from dental caries and damaged enamel. Millions of people, who drink

Where does it spring from? Fluoride is naturally present in rocks. It made its way into drinking water when people started using ground water instead of surface water. In the mid 1960s and 1970s when deep hand pumps were introduced, fluoride found its way into people

Dental Offices May Be Source Of Mercury Pollution US: April 15, 2008 NEW YORK - Dental practices may be a source of a dangerous form of mercury contamination in the water supply, a small study suggests. In tests of wastewater from two dental practices, researchers at the University of Illinois found high levels of methylated mercury -- a chemically altered form of the metal that is toxic to the brain and nervous system. Mercury is part of the silver dental fillings that have long been used to treat cavities; in this form, mercury is believed to be safe.

Toothpastes contain a number of chemicals that carry out its essential functions

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has toothpaste specifications to control fineness of paste, presence of hard and sharp-edged particles, quantum of fluoride, stability, microbial purity, pH