Application of PIGE to Determine Fluorine Concentration in Human Teeth : Contribution to Fluorosis Study

Abstract

Fluorosis, osteoselerosis, and systemic illness may result when tolerance levels of fluorine intake are exceeded . To avoid these abnormalities, we shall be aware of the mechanisms of their development. For this, quantitative results gathered from different parts of the world are necessary. In this paper, PIGE method is used to determine fluorine concentration in human teeth, collected from different regions of the Algerian Sahara. Both enamel and dentine regions were inspected. The external and internal mappings of the analyzed teeth have shown more variation in the localized fluorine concentration in dentine than in enamel, and the lowest level of fluorine concentration was observed in the frontier crown-root zone. The obtained results reveal relatively high fluorine concentration lying within the limit of fluorosis, according to the standardised grading dental fluorosis.