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Fluoride in Ceylon tea and its implications to dental health

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the fluoride content of Ceylon Tea, which is a popular beverage throughout the world. The fluoride content of tea infusions prepared from different grades of tea leaves collected from different parts of the tea-growing regions (25 samples) of Sri Lanka was measured using a fluoride-selective electrode. Fluoride leaching was found to vary from 0.32 to 1.69 mg F/l, but there were no significant differences in terms of fluoride leaching between tea from different tea-growing regions or between tea of different grades. Dental fluorosis is widespread throughout the dry zone of Sri Lanka, and drinking water has traditionally been considered to be the main contributory factor to the development of fluorosis. However, diet, the consumption of tea in particular, may also contribute to the manifestation of dental diseases.

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Acknowledgements

RC gratefully acknowledges the award of the George Forster Research fellowship from the Alexander von Humboldt Stiftung, Germany.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

    Rohana Chandrajith, Uthpala Abeypala & C. B. Dissanayake

  2. Institute of Geology and Mineralogy, Chair of Applied Geology, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Schlossgraten 5, 91054, Erlangen, Germany

    Rohana Chandrajith & H. J. Tobschall

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  1. Rohana Chandrajith
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  2. Uthpala Abeypala
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  3. C. B. Dissanayake
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  4. H. J. Tobschall
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Correspondence to Rohana Chandrajith.

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Chandrajith, R., Abeypala, U., Dissanayake, C.B. et al. Fluoride in Ceylon tea and its implications to dental health. Environ Geochem Health 29, 429–434 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-007-9087-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-007-9087-z

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