Abstract
Background: Studies of groundwater sources in Sri Lanka show that in the entire Northern, North Central, Uva and Eastern Provinces, and also in a large area of the North Western Province, groundwater fluoride content is within the range 1.0 mg/l and 3.0 mg/l. The WHO recommended safe upper limit of fluoride for drinking water is 1.5 mg/l.
Objective: Our objective was to determine the prevalence and degree of dental fluorosis in a cohort of schoolchildren in Sinnasippikulam in Vavuniya District, the fluoride content in their serum and urine, and fluoride levels in drinking water in dug wells of the area.
Methods: Invitations in Tamil and Sinhala were sent to all households by courier. Demographic information and oral hygiene practices of 307 responsive children were recorded by interviewing children and their mothers. Detailed clinical examinations were performed according to WHO basic methods, with some modifications. Assessment of dental fluorosis in the children was done according to Dean’s Index codes and criteria.
Results: We found drinking water sources (dug wells) in Sinnasippikulam (n= 82) to have a high mean concentration of fluoride ( x? 1.58+ 0.69 mg/l). Of 307 children examined, 224 (72.9%) had clinical evidence of dental fluorosis of varying degrees of severity. The mean fluoride level in serum of schoolchildren was 0.198 mg/l (SD + 0.074; S.E.M. 0.013), and in their urine, 1.44 mg/l (SD + 0.59; SEM 0.11).
Conclusions: Our results show that harmful levels of fluoride are extremely common in groundwater sources in the study area, and consequently, dental fluorosis is highly endemic (72.9%) among resident schoolchildren.
*Original abstract online at https://cmj.sljol.info/articles/abstract/10.4038/cmj.v62i4.8570/
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Biomarkers for the Assessment of Fluoride Exposure in Children.
Due to practical difficulties in quantifying fluoride exposure, the ability of various biomarkers to predict exposure has been investigated previously. However, the results are inadequate for validation of their application and usefulness. This study aimed to investigate the association between contemporary/recent biomarkers of fluoride exposure and total daily fluoride intake
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The Conclusion of a Ten-Year Study of Water Fluoridation.
Note: The Tables are not included in the text below. See the full study. In areas where the potable water supplies contain the fluoride ion at optimum concentration at the source, the dental caries experience of children who ingest these water fluorides during the years of tooth development is about 60
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Effect of altitude on urinary, plasma and nail fluoride levels in children and adults in Nepal.
Highlights Several aspects of fluoride metabolism were examined in child-parent dyads living at a lower- and higher-altitudes in Nepal. Fluoride concentration of finger- and toe-nail was not related to either fluoride intake or altitude. In children, higher altitude leads to decreased urinary fluoride excretion when given the same fluoride dose.
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A comparative study of fluoride ingestion levels, serum thyroid hormone & TSH level derangements, dental fluorosis status among school children from endemic and non-endemic fluorosis areas.
Abstract The study was undertaken to determine serum/urinary fluoride status and comparison of free T4, free T3 and thyroid stimulating hormone levels of 8 to 15 years old children with and without dental fluorosis living in an endemic and non-endemic fluorosis area. A sample group of 60 male and female school children,
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Dose-dependent effect of fluoride on clinical and subclinical indices of fluorosis in school going children and its mitigation by supply of safe drinking water for 5 years: An Indian study.
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