Final answer:
Care must be taken when explaining the need to avoid swallowing during fluoride treatment procedures as excess fluoride can lead to skeletal fluorosis and other negative health effects. The US Environmental Protection Agency sets a maximum level of fluoride in drinking water to prevent excessive exposure. Avoiding swallowing during fluoride treatment minimizes the risk of these harmful effects.
Step-by-step explanation:
Care must be taken when explaining the need to avoid swallowing during fluoride treatment procedures because excess fluoride can have negative health effects. When excessive fluoride is present in the body, it can cause skeletal fluorosis, a condition that affects the bones and joints, leading to stiffness and mobility issues. Additionally, fluoride can negatively affect the thyroid gland. The US Environmental Protection Agency sets a maximum level of 4 ppm (4 mg/L) of fluoride in drinking water to prevent excessive fluoride exposure. Therefore, it is important to avoid swallowing during fluoride treatment to minimize the risk of these harmful effects.