What is the Difference Between Sodium Fluoride and Calcium Fluoride?

The main differences between sodium fluoride and calcium fluoride lie in their solubility, toxicity, and applications. Here is a comparison of the two compounds:

Solubility: Sodium fluoride (NaF) readily dissolves in water, while calcium fluoride (CaF2) does not. This difference in solubility makes sodium fluoride more suitable for use in oral care products, such as toothpaste and mouth rinses.
Toxicity: Calcium fluoride is considered less toxic than sodium fluoride due to its low water solubility and bioavailability. The European Food Safety Authority states that calcium fluoride is less toxic because it is much less soluble and bioavailable than other soluble forms of fluoride.
Applications: Sodium fluoride is commonly used in oral care products and is often added to drinking water supplies to prevent dental cavities. Calcium fluoride, on the other hand, is found in nature in the form of the mineral fluorite and is used in the production of glass, enamel, and steel.

In summary, sodium fluoride is more water-soluble and is used in dental applications and water fluoridation, while calcium fluoride is less soluble and toxic, found naturally in minerals, and used in various industrial processes.

On this page

What is the Difference Between Sodium Fluoride and Calcium Fluoride?

Comparative Table: Sodium Fluoride vs Calcium Fluoride

Sodium fluoride and calcium fluoride are two fluoride minerals of the elements in group I and group II of the periodic table. They have some differences in terms of their chemical structure, solubility, and natural occurrence. Here is a table comparing the differences between sodium fluoride and calcium fluoride:

Property	Sodium Fluoride	Calcium Fluoride
Chemical Structure	Ionic crystal with octahedral coordination sites for Na+ and F−	Inorganic compound with the molecular formula CaF2
Lattice Spacing	Approximately 462 pm	Difficult to find a specific value, but it crystallizes in a cubic motif
Solubility	Easily soluble in water, which makes it suitable for use in toothpaste and mouth rinses	Difficult to dissolve in water, making it less suitable for use in oral care products
Natural Occurrence	Rare in natural form	Abundant in nature, commonly found in fluorite form
Uses	Widely used in oral care products due to its high solubility in water	Has been introduced in the field of oral care as an alternative to sodium fluoride, but its low solubility makes it difficult to process in oral care products

Despite their differences, both sodium fluoride and calcium fluoride are used in oral care products to provide protection against caries and promote good oral health.

Guilherme Mazui

Guilherme Mazui is graduated in journalism from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) and a master's degree in Communication from the University of São Paulo (USP). In addition, he has experience in advertising writing and has worked as a content editor in several companies.