Abstract
Objectives:The objectives of this study were to assess the fluoride concentration in the public water supply and the prevalence of dental fluorosis in schoolchildren between 7 and 15 years old, living in a peripheral district of the municipality of Bauru.Material and Methods:For this, fifty two water samples were collected on three different days of one week. These samples were analyzed for fluoride by means of the ion-sensitive electrode method (Orion 9609) coupled to a potentiometer (Procyon, model 720). In this method, 1.0 mL of TISABII (Orion) was added to 1.0 mL of the sample. For the epidemiological survey of fluorosis, 52 schoolchildren of both genders, aged between 7 and 15 were assessed, with prior authorization from their caretakers. Only one person examined the children, after supervised toothbrushing and drying with cotton wool rolls. The TF index was used.Results:The fluoride concentrations in the water samples ranged from 0.62 to 1.20 mg/L, with a mean of 0.9 mg/L. The prevalence of dental fluorosis was 33%, with severity ranging from TF1 to TF4 (Kappa of 0.73 and concordance of 83.33%).Conclusions:The results from the analysis of water samples indicated a fluoride concentration greater than recommended for Bauru. The fluorosis levels found were higher than expected for a peripheral district, in which water is one of the few sources of fluoride.
Highlights
The therapeutic effects of fluoride, which are widely recognized in public health interventions, are greater when water is used as the vehicle, because of its wide public distribution, effectiveness, cost and frequency of consumption[2,16,17,24]
Because of its different levels of acute and chronic toxicity, its addition to the public water supply needs to be rigorously monitored at all times, so as to maintain caries control and prevent dental fluorosis[2,11]
Dental fluorosis is one of the effects resulting from chronic fluoride intoxication, caused by excessive intake at the periods of enamel formation
Summary
The therapeutic effects of fluoride, which are widely recognized in public health interventions, are greater when water is used as the vehicle, because of its wide public distribution, effectiveness, cost and frequency of consumption[2,16,17,24]. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States, the fluoridation of the public water supply is one of the ten most important public health achievements in the twentieth century[5]. Dental fluorosis is one of the effects resulting from chronic fluoride intoxication, caused by excessive intake at the periods of enamel formation. It is associated with the capacity of fluoride to act on ameloblasts during the maturation phase of the developing enamel. Fluoride can be ingested from many sources; such as water, toothpaste, soft drinks, juices and foods. The prevalence of fluorosis is directly proportional to fluoride intake, and it is influenced by certain environmental factors[1,7]
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