The Effect of Sodium Fluoride Therapy

Abstract

A group of 35 patients with osteoporosis derived from the population of 106 patients (table 9–1) has been treated with sodium fluoride. Fluoride stimulates the osteoblasts resulting in an increased production of osteoid tissue. Fluoride is also built in in the apatite crystals; these crystals are more resistant to bone mineral loss than hydroxy apatite crystals. As a consequence less calcium will be available from bone resorption and more calcium is needed in order to supply the new bone. Based on theoretical considerations and practical experiences in the University Hospital in Utrecht, sodium fluoride therapy in osteoporosis is supplemented with calcium and vitamin D (Duursma and van der Sluys, Veer, 1980,1981). After two years of therapy it can be expected, that the process of osteoporosis has stopped. An increase of BMC will occur later because sodium fluoride causes a delay in the mineralization process of osteoid tissue.