{"title":"The fluorosis conundrum: bridging the gap between science and public health.","authors":"Sachindra Kumar, Vishal Chhabra, Manmeet Mehra, Saranya K, Harish Kumar B, Smita Shenoy, Ravindra Shantakumar Swamy, Krishna Murti, K Sreedhara Ranganath Pai, Nitesh Kumar","doi":"10.1080/15376516.2023.2268722","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Fluorosis, a chronic condition brought on by excessive fluoride ingestion which, has drawn much scientific attention and public health concern. It is a complex and multifaceted issue that affects millions of people worldwide. Despite decades of scientific research elucidating the causes, mechanisms, and prevention strategies for fluorosis, there remains a significant gap between scientific understanding and public health implementation. While the scientific community has made significant strides in understanding the etiology and prevention of fluorosis, effectively translating this knowledge into public health policies and practices remains challenging. This review explores the gap between scientific research on fluorosis and its practical implementation in public health initiatives. It suggests developing evidence-based guidelines for fluoride exposure and recommends comprehensive educational campaigns targeting the public and healthcare providers. Furthermore, it emphasizes the need for further research to fill the existing knowledge gaps and promote evidence-based decision-making. By fostering collaboration, communication, and evidence-based practices, policymakers, healthcare professionals, and the public can work together to implement preventive measures and mitigate the burden of fluorosis on affected communities. This review highlighted several vital strategies to bridge the gap between science and public health in the context of fluorosis. It emphasizes the importance of translating scientific evidence into actionable guidelines, raising public awareness about fluoride consumption, and promoting preventive measures at individual and community levels.</p>","PeriodicalId":23177,"journal":{"name":"Toxicology Mechanisms and Methods","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.2000,"publicationDate":"2024-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Toxicology Mechanisms and Methods","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15376516.2023.2268722","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2024/1/29 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Fluorosis, a chronic condition brought on by excessive fluoride ingestion which, has drawn much scientific attention and public health concern. It is a complex and multifaceted issue that affects millions of people worldwide. Despite decades of scientific research elucidating the causes, mechanisms, and prevention strategies for fluorosis, there remains a significant gap between scientific understanding and public health implementation. While the scientific community has made significant strides in understanding the etiology and prevention of fluorosis, effectively translating this knowledge into public health policies and practices remains challenging. This review explores the gap between scientific research on fluorosis and its practical implementation in public health initiatives. It suggests developing evidence-based guidelines for fluoride exposure and recommends comprehensive educational campaigns targeting the public and healthcare providers. Furthermore, it emphasizes the need for further research to fill the existing knowledge gaps and promote evidence-based decision-making. By fostering collaboration, communication, and evidence-based practices, policymakers, healthcare professionals, and the public can work together to implement preventive measures and mitigate the burden of fluorosis on affected communities. This review highlighted several vital strategies to bridge the gap between science and public health in the context of fluorosis. It emphasizes the importance of translating scientific evidence into actionable guidelines, raising public awareness about fluoride consumption, and promoting preventive measures at individual and community levels.
期刊介绍:
Toxicology Mechanisms and Methods is a peer-reviewed journal whose aim is twofold. Firstly, the journal contains original research on subjects dealing with the mechanisms by which foreign chemicals cause toxic tissue injury. Chemical substances of interest include industrial compounds, environmental pollutants, hazardous wastes, drugs, pesticides, and chemical warfare agents. The scope of the journal spans from molecular and cellular mechanisms of action to the consideration of mechanistic evidence in establishing regulatory policy.
Secondly, the journal addresses aspects of the development, validation, and application of new and existing laboratory methods, techniques, and equipment. A variety of research methods are discussed, including:
In vivo studies with standard and alternative species
In vitro studies and alternative methodologies
Molecular, biochemical, and cellular techniques
Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics
Mathematical modeling and computer programs
Forensic analyses
Risk assessment
Data collection and analysis.