Jesse

Fluoride is the anion of the element fluorine.  An anion is a negatively charged atom.  Fluoride salts are compounds containing fluoride.  An atom is not a compound.

in regard to "natural":  as water flows over rocks it picks up fluoride ions leached from calcium fluoride and fluorosilicates in those rocks.  These fluoride ions are to what is commonly referred as being "naturally occurring" fluoride.  They are identical to those fluoride ions released by HFA during fluoridation.   A fluoride ion is a fluoride ion, regardless the source compound from which it is released.  Elementary chemistry.

It seems as if you are the one in need of doing some "very very basic research".

Steven D. Slott, DDS