Prevalence of dental fluorosis in 6–14 year old children in Greater Noida city, Uttar Pradesh – An epidemiological study

Abstract

Background: Endemic fluorosis is one of the major health problems in India. About 96% of the fluoride found in the body is in bones and teeth. When ingested in adequate quantities, fluoride is beneficial for teeth by reducing the level of dental caries, whereas the ingestion of fluoride in higher concentrations may cause fluorosis. Objectives: The objective of the study was to find the prevalence of dental fluorosis in school-going children of 6–14 years in Greater Noida City, residing there since birth. The severity of fluorosis was determined after estimating the fluoride concentration in drinkable groundwater. The distribution of dental fluorosis was then compared according to various variables. Materials and Methods: A sample of 1516 school-going children, residing in the Greater Noida since childhood and consuming the groundwater, were taken across various schools from all five directions. These children were examined for dental fluorosis according to the Dean's criteria for assessment. Results: The prevalence of dental fluorosis in 6–14-year-old school-going children was 69.9%. A stepwise increase in prevalence was noted with a corresponding rise in the water fluoride content in different zones of the city. Conclusion: The prevalence of dental fluorosis was found to be 69.9% with the groundwater concentration gradient ranging from 1.6 to 2.4 ppm.

Keywords

• dental fluorosis
• prevalance
• survey