Nalgonda, and Mahboobnagar districts. Recently it has been found to be prevalent in Kadapa, Kurnool, Anantapur and other places. It is found on investigation that the fluoride content in water varies from 1.5 mg to 10.5 mg in these areas. The fluoride that is contained in underground water sources varies from 1 mg to 300 mg per litre. In many areas they have established Aluminium factories.

(Skeletal Flurosis)

Fluoride is made use of to a large extent in these factories. This mixes with air and the polluted air affects the people. It enters the stronger portions of the body such as bones and teeth. A portion of this fluoride is excreted through urine. The ignorant are not aware of the serious damage caused by this fluoride to their health. Fluorosis causes pain in the joints and affects the bones at the back, etc. The affected persons suffer from severe pain in joints. Some germs such as bacteria also enter the system and cause a lot of damage to the human body. Viruses also cause disease. Polluted food also accounts for the spread of these disease-carrying germs. Meat, fish, black and red salt, black coffee and tea also cause spread of fluorosis and aggravate it further. To the extent possible you should change your food habits. Chewing betel leaves also causes tooth decay. Certain drugs sold in the market also aggravate this disease.

There are some types of antidotes that can be consumed with food to prevent fluorosis. You should take sour things like lime, orange and tamarind in greater quantity. You can also take more of tomatoes, potatoes and vegetables with Vitamin C. You should also take more of carrots to build the bones. Intake of such food items in a liberal measure will help to combat the incidence of fluorosis. Besides these, consuming of green leaves, which contain a lot of calcium, will also help in keeping off fluorosis. Food is the main factor in maintaining good health or causing diseases. In these days, though there is plenty of milk, curd and other dairy products available with the villagers in their houses, they are in the habit of selling these products and buying some useless and harmful things that affect their health adversely. Consuming of curd will help one to a great extent to combat the onset of this disease. Modern youth take black tea and coffee (without milk though milk is available) thereby inviting the disease. Some take black and brownish salt, which contains more fluoride. They should avoid this and take only white purified salt. It is only by propagating such practical preventive steps that Government can play its role in checking the spread of this disease. (SSS Vol.27, pp. 41-43)

You have to educate the children to consume lime and tamarind in larger measure, explaining the reason for this, in order to prevent the affliction by the disease of fluorosis. (SSS Vol.27, p. 53)