Correlation between Distribution of Water Fluoride and Fluorosis in the villages of Mahendergarh district, Haryana- India

Abstract

Fluoride plays a very important role in preventing dental carries and is beneficial for dental enamel. But fluoride is valuable for health only when if it is used in a small amount within the allowable limit. Its excessiveness causes a number of side effects for human health such as fluorosis. According to WHO recommendation in 2011, fluoride level in drinking water is 1.5 mg/l. In everyday life, drinking water is considered as major source of fluoride. Most of the residents of Mahendergarh district of Haryana in India depend on ground water for their drinking purposes. This study has been conducted to examine the dental fluorosis among govt. school children in the villages of the study area. The fluorosis data were collected from different blocks of Mahendergarh district from school going children aged between 6 to 11 years old. A face-to-face interview of school children from class-3rd to class-5th has been carried out. A total of 43 villages were selected for dental fluorosis analysis. 25 villages were selected where the fluoride level is more than 1.5 mg/l and 18 villages were chosen where fluoride level was less than 1.5 mg/l. A survey was carried out among 1196 school going children for oral examination of dental fluorosis. School children were examined with the help of an expert of dental fluorosis. The study revealed that children of Sihma, Mahendergarh, Narnaul and Nangal Chaudhary blocks are the most affected with dental fluorosis. It was found that 33.3% children were affected with dental fluorosis in high fluoride zone, while only 7.36% children were suffering from dental fluorosis below permissible area (below 1.5mg/l). The study also reveals the positive correlation between water fluoride and fluorosis.