What Is the Difference Between Fluorine and Fluoride?

Toothpaste contains fluoride, but not free fluorine.
Toothpaste contains fluoride, but not free fluorine.

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By
Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Chemistry Expert
  • Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville
  • B.A., Physics and Mathematics, Hastings College
Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences and is a science writer, educator, and consultant. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels.
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Updated on January 28, 2019

First off, it's fluorine and fluoride and not flourine and flouride. The misspelling is common, but the "u" comes before the "o" in both. Fluorine is a chemical element. In pure form, it is a highly toxic, reactive, yellowish-green gas. The fluorine anion, F-, or any of the compounds containing the anion are termed fluorides. When you hear about fluoride in drinking water, it comes from adding a fluorine compound (usually sodium fluoride, sodium fluorosilicate, or fluorosilicic acid) to drinking water, which dissociates to release the F- ion. Stable fluorides are also found in fluoridated toothpaste and mouthwash.

You can find fluoride in fluoridated toothpaste.
Read More
What Is Fluoride? Fluoride vs. Fluorine
By Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.

Summary of the Difference

Fluorine is an element. Fluoride either refers to the fluorine ion or to a compound that contains the element fluorine.

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Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "What Is the Difference Between Fluorine and Fluoride?" ThoughtCo, Sep. 3, 2021, thoughtco.com/fluorine-vs-fluoride-3975953. Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. (2021, September 3). What Is the Difference Between Fluorine and Fluoride? Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/fluorine-vs-fluoride-3975953 Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "What Is the Difference Between Fluorine and Fluoride?" ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/fluorine-vs-fluoride-3975953 (accessed April 25, 2024).