Abstract

Earlier observations and a review on endemic fluorosis in the Bhatinda District of Punjab were published in 1961 [this Bulletin, 1962, v. 37, 243] and the object of the present paper “is to summarize our epidemiological work done over three years and to emphasize the importance of this work from the social and preventive aspects”.

The physiography of the Bhatinda District is described with the inclusion of a map. The method of survey is shortly stated. The district has an approximate population of 58, 000 in which 2, 282 persons over the age of 30 were critically examined for the presence of skeletal fluorosis. This condition was diagnosed in 63 persons and of these 27 showed neurological complications. In addition a high incidence of dental fluorosis in children was found. Much detail is given of the patients with skeletal fluorosis-their symptoms, clinical signs and the results of laboratory investigations of the cerebrospinal fluid and serum chemistry. There are X-ray photographs of some of the advanced cases of skeletal fluorosis.

A table presents data on the fluorine content of soil, water, blood and bone in relation to individual cases of skeletal fluorosis.

The social and preventive aspects are discussed briefly.

• Related Studies :

  • Fluoride exposure altered metabolomic profile in rat serum

    Highlights 58 NEG and 73 POS metabolites were altered in F-treated 3 weeks rat serum. 126 NEG and 70 POS metabolites were altered in F-treated 11 weeks rat serum. Four significantly different metabolites, nicotinamide, adenosine, 1-Oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, and 1-Stearoyl-sn-glycerol 3-phosphocholine were shared by two models. Urea, N2-Acetyl-l-ornithine, and betaine were

  • [Relationship between fluoride exposure, orthopedic injuries and bone formation markers in patients with coal-burning fluorosis].

    Chronic exposure to fluoride is a public health problem worldwide. We explored the relationship between fluoride exposure, orthopedic injuries and bone formation markers alkaline phosphatase (ALP), bone Gla protein (BGP) in participants with coal-burning fluorosis in Hehua Village (coal-burning fluorosis endemic area) in Zhijin County of Guizhou Province and Zhangguan

  • Studies on fluorosis in Mehsana District of North Gujarat.

    A survey was conducted in eighteen fluoride endemic villages in Mehsana District of North Gujarat (India). The individuals afflicted with fluorosis were examined for apparent mottled teeth and skeletal complications. Samples of urine and blood of these individuals along with drinking water were collected and compared with samples obtained from

  • Skeletal fluorosis from brewed tea

    BACKGROUND:  High fluoride ion (F(-)) levels are found in many surface and well waters. Drinking F(-)-contaminated water typically explains endemic skeletal fluorosis (SF). In some regions of Asia, however, poor quality "brick tea" also causes this disorder. The plant source of brick, black, green, orange pekoe, and oolong tea, Camellia

  • A national cross-sectional study on effects of fluoride-safe water supply on the prevalence of fluorosis in China

    OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of provided fluoride-safe drinking-water for the prevention and control of endemic fluorosis in China. DESIGN: A national cross-sectional study in China. SETTING: In 1985, randomly selected villages in 27 provinces (or cities and municipalities) in 5 geographic areas all over China. PARTICIPANTS: Involved 81 786 children aged from

• Related FAN Content :

  • "Pre-Skeletal" Fluorosis

    As demonstrated by the studies below, skeletal fluorosis may produce adverse symptoms, including arthritic pains, clinical osteoarthritis, gastrointestinal disturbances, and bone fragility, before the classic bone change of fluorosis (i.e., osteosclerosis in the spine and pelvis) is detectable by x-ray. Relying on x-rays, therefore, to diagnosis skeletal fluorosis will invariably fail to protect those individuals who are suffering from the pre-skeletal phase of the disease. Moreover, some individuals with clinical skeletal fluorosis will not develop an increase in bone density, let alone osteosclerosis, of the spine. Thus, relying on unusual increases in spinal bone density will under-detect the rate of skeletal fluoride poisoning in a population.

  • Skeletal Fluorosis: The Misdiagnosis Problem

    It is a virtual certainty that there are individuals in the general population unknowingly suffering from some form of skeletal fluorosis as a result of a doctor's failure to consider fluoride as a cause of their symptoms. Proof that this is the case can be found in the following case reports of skeletal fluorosis written by doctors in the U.S. and other western countries. As can be seen, a consistent feature of these reports is that fluorosis patients--even those with crippling skeletal fluorosis--are misdiagnosed for years by multiple teams of doctors who routinely fail to consider fluoride as a possible cause of their disease.

  • Fluoride & Osteoarthritis

    While the osteoarthritic effects that occurred from fluoride exposure were once considered to be limited to those with skeletal fluorosis, recent research shows that fluoride can cause osteoarthritis in the absence of traditionally defined fluorosis. Conventional methods used for detecting skeletal fluorosis, therefore, will fail to detect the full range of people suffering from fluoride-induced osteoarthritis.

  • Kidney Patients Are at Increased Risk of Fluoride Poisoning

    It is well established that individuals with kidney disease are susceptible to suffering bone damage and other ill effects from low levels of fluoride exposure. Kidney patients are at elevated risk because when kidneys are damaged they are unable to efficiently excrete fluoride from the body. As a result, kidney patients

  • X-Ray Diagnosis of Skeletal Fluorosis

    In 1937, Kaj Roholm published his seminal study Fluorine Intoxication in which he described three phases of bone changes that occur in skeletal fluorosis. (See below). These three phases, which are detectable by x-ray, have been widely used as a diagnostic guide for detecting the disease. They describe an osteosclerotic bone disease that develops first in the axial skeleton (the spine, pelvis, and ribs), and ultimately results in extensive calcification of ligaments and cartilage, as well as bony outgrowths such as osteophytes and exostoses. Subsequent research has found, however, that x-rays provide a very crude measure for diagnosing fluorosis since the disease can cause symptoms and effects (e.g., osteoarthritis) before, and in the absence of, radiologicaly detectable osteosclerosis in the spine.