Final answer:
In cases of acute fluoride toxicity, calcium, often as calcium chloride or calcium gluconate, is used as a fluoride binding agent to help reduce toxicity. This treatment must be administered by medical professionals and is different from chelation therapy used for heavy metal poisoning.
Step-by-step explanation:
In cases of acute fluoride toxicity, a fluoride binding agent such as calcium can be administered. The calcium can bind to the fluoride ion to help reduce its harmful effects. It is generally given in the form of calcium salts like calcium chloride or calcium gluconate.
This treatment should be administered by healthcare professionals since acute fluoride toxicity is a serious condition requiring medical attention.
While prevention of fluoride toxicity is imperative, particularly in areas with high natural fluoride levels in drinking water, the response to acute toxicity focuses on immediate care and intervention.
It's essential to observe that chelation therapy, commonly used in cases of heavy metal poisoning such as mercury poisoning, is not the appropriate method for treating fluoride toxicity.
Chelators like dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) or dimercaptopropane sulfonate (DMPS) bind to heavy metals but are not effective in cases of fluoride poisoning. For effective treatment and recommendations, please seek guidance from a medical professional.