Who would have thought that such a simple salt could be so useful—and controversial? NaF was the original fluoride source used in water to prevent dental cavities. In many communities, however, this was deemed a violation of people’s freedom of choice—some even thought it was a communist plot to poison Americans—and it often was outlawed. Today, NaF is the most common chemical used to fluoridate toothpaste. It is also used as an industrial cleaning agent and a metallurgical extractant.
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