INTRODUCTION The sources of fluoride exposure for the Mexicans are foods, beverages, fluoridated salt and naturally fluoridated water. The main objetive of this study was to estimate the concentration of fluoride in foods and beverages most frequently consumed in Mexico; in addition, their fluoride content was compared to data available from the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK). METHODOLOGY From the Health and Nutrition Survey 2012 we identified 182 foods and beverages and purchased in the biggest supermarkets chains and local markets in Mexico City. Samples were analyzed for fluoride content at least in duplicate to account for variability at the Oral Health Research Institute, Indiana University School of Dentistry, using a modification of the hexamethyldisiloxane microdiffusion method. RESULTS We tested 166 foods and 16 beverages, classified into 14 food groups to compare with their US and UK counterparts, and finding among them a very wide range of values. Foods with the lowest and highest fluoride content were vegetable shortening (0.24ug/100g) and fried/baked pork rinds (1465.40ug/100g), respectively. The food groups with lowest and highest content were eggs (2.32ug/100g) and seafood (371.29ug/100g), respectively. When estimating the amount of fluoride ingested per portion size, the lowest values corresponded to eggs and the highest to fast food. When comparing between countries, meats and sausages, cereals, fast food, sweets and cakes, fruits, dairy products, legumes and seafood from Mexico, presented higher fluoride contents than similar foods from the US or the UK. Drinks and eggs from the US exhibited the highest fluoride contents, while this was the case for pasta, soups and vegetables from the UK. CONCLUSION The majority of tested Mexican foods and beverages contained higher fluoride contents than their US and UK counterparts. The Mexican data generated in this study will be useful to facilitate the monitoring of the intake in the population.
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