DENTAL CARIES AND FLUORIDE LEVELS IN WATER AND MILK IN 13-15 YEAR OLD ADOLESCENT POPULATION IN DAKSHINA KANNADA DISTRICT, INDIA

Mithra N. Hegde; Ashwitha Punja; Ganesh Bhat; Uday S. Mahale

doi:10.1055/s-0040-1703670

Journal of Health and Allied Sciences NU, Table of Contents

CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Journal of Health and Allied Sciences NU 2013; 03(03): 018-021
DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1703670

Original Article

DENTAL CARIES AND FLUORIDE LEVELS IN WATER AND MILK IN 13-15 YEAR OLD ADOLESCENT POPULATION IN DAKSHINA KANNADA DISTRICT, INDIA

Mithra N. Hegde

¹Senior Professor & HOD, Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, A. B. Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, Deralakatte, Nitte University, Mangalore - 575 018

,

Ashwitha Punja

²Professor, A. B. Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, Deralakatte, Nitte University, Mangalore - 575 018

,

Ganesh Bhat

³Reader, A. B. Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, Deralakatte, Nitte University, Mangalore - 575 018

,

Uday S. Mahale

⁴Post Graduate Student, A. B. Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, Deralakatte, Nitte University, Mangalore - 575 018

› Author Affiliations

Abstract

PDF Download

Abstract

Introduction

Dental caries is an infectious microbiological disease affecting all age groups. Fluoride slows down the progression of an existing carious lesion thus reducing the incidence of dental caries. World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends 0.5 to 1 ppm fluoride content in community water supply and milk fluoridation in case of non-feasibility of community water fluoridation. The aim of present study was to determine fluoride levels in water and milk in Dakshina Kannada District and to co-relate them with the DMFT scores in13-15 year old adolescent population.

Methodology

Water samples were collected from six different regions and sources from Dakshina Kannada District. Water samples were tested for fluoride content by ion specific electrode. A school dental survey was conducted to determine different brands of milk consumed by the children and their DMFT index. Milk samples were tested for fluoride levels by Ion Specific electrode using TSAB-II solution. DMFT scores were correlated with fluoride level of milk consumed by population. Interobesrver reliability by kappa statistics and association test with one way ANOVA was done.

Results

The range of fluoride levels in waters samples was 0.01 to 0.17 ppm and that of milk samples was 0.176 to 1.38 ppm. There was no much difference in fluoride levels of different milk sources. Hence association between DMFT and milk fluoride levels was not statistically significant (p=0.2).

Conclusion

Negligible amounts of Fluoride levels were found in water and milk. There is scope to conduct milk or water fluoridation programme in South Kannada District as a caries prevention method.

Keywords

Fluoride - DMFT - Survey - Adolescent

PDF (411 kb)

References

References
1 Peter S, Fluorides in preventive dentistry. 3rd edn 2006, Arya Publishing House, India
2 WHO (2009) Milk fluoridation for the prevention of dental caries. Geneva: World Health Organization
3 Blaney JR, Tucker WH. The Evanston Dental Caries Study. II. Purpose and mechanism of the study. J Dent Res. 1948;27:279-86.
4 Ast DB, Finn SB, McCaffrey I. The Newburgh-Kingston Caries Fluorine Study. I. Dental findings after three years of water fluoridation. Am J Public Health. 1950;40:716-24.
5 Dean HT, Arnold FA, Jay P, Knutson JW. Studies on mass control of dental caries through fluoridation of the public water supply. Public Health Rep. 1950;65:1403-8.
6 Hutton WL, Linscott BW, Williams DB. The Brantford fluorine experiment: interim report after five years of water fluoridation. Can J Public Health. 1951;42:81--7.
7 Moynihan PJ. The relationship between diet, nutrition and dental health: an overview and update for the 90s. Nutrition Research Reviews. 1995;8:193-224
8 Hegde MN, Singh SK. Prevalence of Tooth Wear and its Relation to Dietary Habit among General Population. JIDA. 2012;2(12):369-71
9 Hegde MN, Shetty S. Prevalence of Caries in Premolars in the District of South Canara, Karnataka, India. JIDA. 2009;3(2):48-9
10 Hegde MN, Bhalla N. The Prevalence of Dentine Hypersensitivity in Southern India. JIDA. 2009;3(6):625-7
11 Hegde MN, Shija AS. Carious First Molars in South Canara Population - An Epidemiological Study. JIDA. 2011;5(11):1132-4
12 Hegde MN, Jyothi M. Prevalance of root surface caries among population of South Canara District of Karnataka- an Epidemological study. JIDA. 2011;5(5):616-8
13 Hegde MN, Ragavendran N. Prevalance of missing first molar on South Indian population – A retrospective study. IJRD. 2012;1(1):25-9