In addition to "saving teeth," what has fluoride been used for?

Answer 1

Ummmmm ... the actual use of fluoride, with regard to living organisms, includes successful use in:

1) Chemical Retardation (Suppression of Intellect, heavily researched by the Nazis in concentration camps)
2) Rat Poison

Think about that the next time your kids swallow their toothpaste ... Now go brush your teeth!

Answer 2

Uses

The following uses for fluorine are gathered from a number of sources as well as from anecdotal comments. I'd be delighted to receive corrections as well as additional referenced uses (please use the feedback mechanism to add uses).
fluorine and its compounds are used in producing isotopically fractionated uranium (from UF6)
commercial fluorochemicals, including many well known high-temperature plastics
hydrofluoric acid is extensively used for etching the glass of light bulbs, etc.
fluorochloro hydrocarbons are used extensively in air conditioning and refrigeration
in small amounts, fluorides in water sources prevent tooth decay. A constituent of toothpaste for the same reason. Soluble fluoride in drinking water (2 ppm) may cause mottled enamel in teeth of children acquiring permanent teeth.

Answer 3

It's used in the production of hydrofluoric acid, an important industrial chemical. Fluoride forms a number of very strong chemical bonds, which is useful in the production of medications that will not break down too quickly in the body, and in laboratory settings when trying to decompose other chemicals. In addition, sulfur hexafluoride is non-toxic and largely non-reactive propellant, making it safer to use, and uranium hexafluoride is used in nuclear reactors.

Answer 4

Uranium tetrafluoride, UF4 is used in refining uranium ores.

Uranium hexafluoride, UF6 is used in separating isotopes of U238 from U235 for reactors and bombs.

Answer 5

Fluorine is used to instill certain properties in glass fibers. But the use with which you are probably most familiar is in polytetrafluoroethylene or Teflon!