Prevalence and distribution pattern of enamel fluorosis in Langtang town, Nigeria

Dental fluorosis, a defect which causes white flecks or brown staining of the teeth, has been reported in some parts of the world. This study, a descriptive, cross-sectional survey was designed to determine the prevalence and distribution pattern of dental fluorosis in Langtang town, Plateau State of Nigeria between April and June 1997. Community members had recognised the discolouration of teeth as a public health problem for which solution had been sought from the near-by public health agency. A representative sample of 475 persons drawn from the 7 wards of the local government area were interviewed. Information on their age, ethnicity, occupation and source of drinking water were obtained. Intra-oral examinations were conducted to determine the status of participants' enamel using a modified version of Dean's classification of enamel mottling. Results revealed a 26.1% prevalence rate of enamel fluorosis, with 20.6% of the cases classified as mild and 5.5% as severe. While the prevalence rate was not influenced by sex and ethnicity, it was strongly associated with the source of drinking water (P < 0.05). Drinking from streams seemed to increase the likelihood of participants having dental fluorosis. A pattern of distribution with age also emerged with the highest prevalence being among the 10-19 years age group. Six cases were detected in deciduous teeth. In view of the strong indication of an environmental aetiological basis, there is need for the determination of the current levels of fluoride in water, foods beverages and other likely sources of exposure in that community.