Fertility effects of sodium fluoride in male mice

Sexually mature male Swiss mice were exposed at 60 days of age to 100, 200 and 300 ppm sodium fluoride (NaF) in their drinking water for 4 weeks or 10 weeks. The effect of NaF exposure on fertility was assessed by breeding these males with untreated female mice after the exposure periods. Fertility was significantly reduced at all three concentrations by exposure for 10 weeks but not for 4 weeks. The number of implantation sites and viable fetuses was significantly reduced in females mated with males that had ingested NaF at a concentration of 200 ppm for 10 weeks. Relative weights of seminal vesicles and preputial glands were significantly increased in mice exposed to 200 and 300 ppm NaF for 4 weeks but not in mice exposed for 10 weeks. These results indicate that long-term ingestion of NaF adversely affects fertility in male mice.