Enamel mottling in a group of Iraqi students in a high and low fluoride community

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to determine the prevalence of mottled enamel in a group of school students lived in area with high and low natural fluoride contained drinking water in Iraq. The study was conducted among (874) school's students aged (13-16) years from randomly selected intermediate schools in two provinces in Ninevah Governorate, Tour hundred and eight students who had lived since birth in high natural fluoride level area (Sinjar province) (2.05-2.22 ppm fluoride) and (466) students lived continuously from birth in low natural fluoride level area in their drinking water (Talkaif province) (0.11-0.19 ppm fluoride). Al-Alousi index has been used to assess mottled enamel. The results show that the prevalence of mottledenamel in Sinjar province is (95.8%) within individuals and (65.3%) within teeth, with significant difference between the sex; while the prevalence of mottled enamel in Talkaif province was (18.1%) within individuals and (3.6%) within teeth, with no significant sex difference. The high percentage of mottled channel was of type "A", followed by types "B" and "E" in high fluoride area, while in low fluoride area also type "A" reported thehigh prevalence, followed by types "B" and "C".