What is the primary way that ingested fluorides are excreted from the body?

The primary method by which ingested fluorides are excreted from the body is through urine. After ingestion, fluoride is absorbed into the bloodstream and distributed throughout the body. The kidneys play a crucial role in filtering substances from the blood, and they excrete fluoride in the urine. A significant portion of fluoride that is ingested will appear in urine, typically within a few hours.

Saliva does contain fluoride, but this is primarily from a process of salivary secretion and is involved in the topical effects of fluoride on teeth. While fluoride can also be lost through sweat and some other bodily fluids, these processes do not account for the primary excretion pathway of this mineral. Breath plays a very minimal role in fluoride excretion, as gaseous exchanges do not typically involve this compound. Therefore, urine is the main route for fluoride elimination from the body.