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e spinc and thc formation of bony spurs, fluorosis produces much dcnser bonc
ssue. Also tccth formed during cxposure to cxccssive levcls of dictary lfuoride
:١d ١o havc brown spots or cvcn holcs or grooves in thc cnamel. hese features
٢e found in a high frequency of thc Bahrain burial mound skeletons (Littleton
987, and Littlcton and Frohlich 1988).

hc B-South 40 spccimen is not the only casc of fluorosis found in the late third
nd early second millennia burial mounds, although it represents the most severe
Drm of this disease found to date. During our continuing research on the skeletal
emains, we have observed other cases of fluorosis, with features ranging from the
levelopment of brown spots on the teeth to cases with ossification of portions of
ome ligaments and tendons. In some cases connective tissue within the neural
anal of the spine has ossified greatly reducing the space available for the spinal
:ord. his might have been associated with neurological problems during life.

hroughout life the bone forming the shafts of long bones undergoes continuous
'enewal. he structures formed during this renewal process are called osteons. he
levelopment of these microscopic units of bone will be affected by excessive levels
of luoride as well. High resolution x-ray (roentgen) films of bone sections from
cases having fluorosis reveal poorly mineralized 20nes within the osteon that
provide an almost certain diagnosis of luorosis (Figure 5). Electron probe
microanalysis of the B-South 40 specimen also indicates levels of fluoride in the
bone exceeding one percent, a significant increase when compared to the normal
levels of less than 0.1 percent. hese findings strongly support a diagnosis of
huorosis in the B-South 40 specimen.

hese finds raise an interesting health question, pertinent to modern Bahrain :
has excessive dietary fluoride continued to be a problem throughout the history of
Bahrain 2 Littleton (1987) and Littleton and Frohlich (1988) have reported cases of
fluorosis in laier periods, in both klassite, Neo-Assyrian, Hellenistic and Islamic
samples from Bahrain. In areas of the world where fluoride is added to the drinking
water as a preventative measure for dental caires the acceptable concentration of
lfuoride is between 1 and 2 parts per million (ppm). he present level of lfuoride in
the local water supply is between 0.67 and 1.0 ppm, thus within the acceptable
limits (Matter, 1987), which does not explain the high frequency of fluorosis found
in the skeletal material. However, other factors such as mean annual temperature,
the lfuoride in food, nutritional status and individual variation also play an
important role in obtaining an accurate estimate of the total amount of fluoride
absorbed by the body (Matter, 1987). his fluoride absorption can most accurately
be measured by analying the fluoride excretion in the urine on people living in
Bahrain today, and although there are some disadvantages in comparing present
data with data from skeletal material which is about 4,000 years old, it might give us
osme clues about how to interpret the data. he analysis of the fluoride excretion in
the urine has shown that the total lfuoride absorption by people in Bahrain is much

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