Abstract

Summary

The prevalence and severity of endemic dental fluorosis were studied in 928 undernourished inhabitants who had resided since birth in two fluoride endemic areas in Italy (Compagnano di Roma and Quarto). The data were compared with the index of mottling in endemic areas in the United States with similar fluorine concentration in the water supply.

The relative nutritional status in Compagnano di Roma was fair, and in Quarto, poor, in comparison with that of American communities which was considered to be good.

1. The prevalence of mottling–that is, the number of individuals affected–was higher in the Italian communities than in comparable areas in the United States with similar fluorine content in the water supply.

2. The severity of mottling of the enamel as evidenced by the index of endemic dental fluorosis was noticeably higher in the Italian communities than in comparable areas in the United States.

3. The difference may be explained on the basis of the lower nutritional status of the group studied, the most important factor being probably a lower calcium intake. The children in Quarto and Compagnano di Roma were poorly nourished from birth in comparison with the children in the American communities. Rickets was prevalent.

Conclusions

1. The nutritional status of the population, especially the calcium intake, affects the prevalence and degree of mottling caused by the fluorine concentration in the water supply. The poorer the nutritional status and the lower the calcium intake, the more prevalent and more severe the mottling.

2. The degree of mottling in any given individual may be an indicator not only of the concentration of fluorine in the water ingested during the period of formation and calcification of the enamel but also of intercurrent systemic disturbances. When an individual or a population group shows mottling beyond the degree expected, the health and nutritional status of that group should be investigated.

Excerpt:

The data from this and other investigations suggest that malnourished infants and children, especially if deficient in calcium intake, may suffer from the effects of water containing fluorine while healthy children would remain unaffected. . . . Thus low levels of fluoride ingestion which are generally considered to be safe for the general population may not be safe for malnourished infants and children. Therefore, the nutritional status must be carefully assessed and guarded in areas with endemic fluorosis. Nutritional studies should be included in any comprehensive program of fluoridation of water with special attention to chronically ailing infants and children.

Print PDF

• Related Studies :

  • Association of dental and skeletal fluorosis with calcium intake and vitamin D concentrations in adolescents from a region endemic for fluorosis

    Objective: Patan, is a semi urban area in Gujarat, India where fluorosis is endemic (Fluoride concentration in ground water 1.96–10.85 ppm, Patel et al., 2008). Exposure to fluoride is likely to be higher in lower socio-economic class (SEC) due to lack of access to bottled water. Calcium intake and vitamin

  • Epidemiological, clinical, and biochemical study of endemic dental and skeletal fluorosis in Punjab

    The incidence of dental fluorosis in 46,000 children in the Punjab was assessed and compared with the fluoride content of their water supplies. Ten villages were selected for more detailed studies of skeletal as well as dental fluorosis. Factors other than the fluoride content of the drinking water which were found to influence

  • [Effect caused by uptake of different levels of calcium to enamel fluorosis in rats].

    OBJECTIVE:  To study the effects caused by uptake of different levels of calcium to dental fluorosis in rats. METHODS:  Weanling rats were raised on water containing 0.1 mol/L fluoride and food containing low, normal and high levels of calcium for 2 months. The concentration of fluoride in enamel was analysed by

  • Environmental and physiological factors affecting dental fluorosis

    In addition to differences in fluoride intake and possibly to calcium deficiency or malnutrition, there are several factors which may account for individual differences in the occurrence of dental fluorosis. Disorders in acid-base balance affect the renal handling of fluoride such that, in acidosis, the excretion rate is diminished and,

  • Nutrition survey in dental fluorosis-afflicted areas

    The fluoride (F) intake, diet, and health status of children in two dental fluorosis-afflicted areas in the Province of Jiangxi, China were studied in an attempt to correlate nutritional status with dental fluorosis. The relationship between mild consumption and the incidence of dental fluorosis among children was stressed in this

• Related FAN Content :

  • Racial Disparities in Dental Fluorosis

    In 2005, the Centers for Disease Control published the results of a national survey of dental fluorosis conducted between 1999 and 2002. According to the CDC, black children in the United States have significantly higher rates of dental fluorosis than either white or Hispanic children. This was not the first time that black children were found to suffer higher rates of dental fluorosis. At least five other studies -- dating as far back as the 1960s -- have found black children in the United States are disproportionately impacted by dental fluorosis.

  • Nutrient Deficiencies Enhance Fluoride Toxicity

    It has been known since the 1930s that poor nutrition enhances the toxicity of fluoride. As discussed below, nutrient deficiencies have been specifically linked to increased susceptibility to fluoride-induced tooth damage (dental fluorosis), bone damage (osteomalacia), neurotoxicity (reduced intelligence), and mutagenicity. The nutrients of primary importance appear to be calcium,

  • Mechanisms by Which Fluoride Causes Dental Fluorosis Remain Unknown

    When it comes to how fluoride impacts human health, no tissue in the body has been studied more than the teeth. Yet, despite over 50 years of research, the mechanism by which fluoride causes dental fluorosis (a hypo-mineralization of the enamel that results in significant staining of the teeth) is not

  • Fluoride Exposure Increases Metabolic Requirement for Calcium & Vitamin D

    It is well known that individuals with nutrient deficiencies are more susceptible to fluoride toxicity, including fluoride's bone effects. As discussed in the following studies, fluoride increases the skeleton's need for calcium (and vitamin D) by increasing the amount of unmineralized tissue (osteoid) in the bone. When insufficient calcium and

  • Factors which increase the risk for skeletal fluorosis

    The risk for developing skeletal fluorosis, and the course the disease will take, is not solely dependent on the dose of fluoride ingested. Indeed, people exposed to similar doses of fluoride may experience markedly different effects. While the wide range in individual response to fluoride is not yet fully understood, the following are some of the factors that are believed to play a role.