Fluoride: Beneficial or toxic for human health?

Fluoride is the anionic form of halogen fluorine, considered as the 24th most abundant element in the earth crust. It is released from industrial effluents, magnetic gas, and minerals and accumulated in the atmosphere and water. Fluoride in low concentration is essential for the maintenance of oral health. However, higher concentration of fluoride may induce oxidative stress, organelle damage, and even apoptotic changes and thereby damage to different systems. In this review, we will try to focus on the system-specific beneficial as well as detrimental effects of fluoride and overall impacts on human health.