Number of remaining teeth among adults in communities with optimal and low water fluoride concentrations

The aims of this study was to compare the dental health status measured as the number of remaining teeth, also considering local fluoride administration in two sociologically equal communities with optimal and low drinking water fluoride concentrations. The study is based on self-answer enquiries and clinical examinations. To be part of the study the subjects were required to have used a drinking water with a fluoride concentration representative of the community for all their lives. The participants were 30-40 years old: 320 met the criteria in the optimal fluoride concentration community compared to 284 in the low fluoride community. Of these 18% did not turn up to the clinical examination. The results of the study show no differences in the number of still remaining teeth between optimal and low fluoride communities respectively. There were also no statistically significant differences as to the reasons for toothloss. The number of remaining teeth were neither influenced by local fluoride administration in the two groups. Removable dentures were only present in 0.9% with no differences between optimal and low fluoride communities.