Abstract

In India, especially in rural areas, most children, adults, and the elderly are exposed to fluoride from drinking water and industrial fluoride pollution. In these areas, most drinking water sources, such as hand pumps, bore wells, and deep wells, are contaminated with fluoride to varying degrees. Most of these sources contain fluoride above the national and international recommended levels of 1.0ppm and 1.5ppm, respectively. Therefore, thousands of people of various ages in rural areas of the country suffer from chronic fluoride intoxication in the form of fluorosis due to drinking this fluoridated water. In many rural areas of the country, people are also suffering from fluorosis due to exposure to industrial fluoride. In rural areas, thousands of domesticated animals, especially cows (Bos taurus), buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis), goats (Capra hircus), and sheep (Ovis aries) are also affected by fluorosis, which is caused by long-term exposure to fluoride through drinking fluoridated water and industrial fluoride pollution. The milk of such fluorosed animals also contains varying amounts of fluoride, depending on the fluoride content of the drinking water. In a recent study, the fluoride content of fluoridated cow, camel, goat, and buffalo milk was reported to be 4.128±2.804, 5.379±1.732, 5.216±1.271, and 6.034±1.837, respectively. If children consume such fluoridated milk of fluorosed animals for a long time, it can pose a serious risk to their health. Long-term fluoride exposure in children from drinking fluoridated milk can not only lead to osteo-dental fluorosis but also impact mental health. In the present communication, focuses on the consumption of milk from fluorosed animals and its potential adverse health or toxic effects on children. This review is useful for researchers in India to do an advance research work on this fluoride-related health problem in children. This communication will also draw the attention of the concerned health department so that a health policy can be made to prevent children’s health from being harmed by drinking animal milk containing fluoride.

Keywords: Adverse health effects; Children; Chronic fluoride exposure; Dental fluorosis; Fluoride poisoning; Fluorosed animals; Mental health; Milk; Skeletal fluorosis; India