Dental fluorosis in cattle.

Five expressions of dental fluorosis are described in cattle exposed to industrial fluoride pollution: 1. Hypercementosis with tooth ankylosis, cementum necrosis and cyst formation; 2. Delayed eruption of permanent incisor teeth; 3 Necrosis of alveolar bone with recession of bone and gingiva; 4. Oblique eruption of permanent teeth, hypoplasia of teeth with diastemata; and 5. Rapid progression of dental lesions. The five entities are not recognized in the "standard for the classification of dental fluorosis" by the National Academy of Sciences. Since this classification it too limited and superficial, adherence to this standard has left severe cases of fluoride intoxication in cattle undetected in field surveys.