Dental fluorosis among participants in a non-supervised fluoride tablet program

Area of Science:

• Dental Public Health
• Pediatric Dentistry
• Fluoride Toxicology

Background:

• Dental fluorosis is a condition resulting from excessive fluoride intake during tooth development.
• Fluoride supplementation, particularly through tablets, is a common strategy for caries prevention in children.
• Understanding the relationship between fluoride tablet consumption and fluorosis patterns is crucial for public health recommendations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the intraoral distribution and prevalence of dental fluorosis in children who consumed fluoride tablets.
• To compare dental fluorosis patterns between fluoride tablet consumers and non-consumers.
• To analyze the influence of tooth formation timing on fluorosis development in relation to fluoride tablet intake.

Main Methods:

• A blind examination of 142 children, including 56 participants of a daily fluoride (NaF) tablet program (0.5/1.0 mg).
• Assessment for fluoride-induced enamel changes (dental fluorosis) in all teeth.
• Categorization of participants based on fluorosis patterns relative to tablet consumption period.

Main Results:

• Non-participants exhibited a low prevalence of dental fluorosis.
• Fluoride tablet consumers showed a significantly higher prevalence of dental fluorosis.
• Fluorosis prevalence increased with later tooth formation; participants were grouped by fluorosis severity and timing.

Conclusions:

• Fluoride tablet consumption is associated with a higher risk and specific patterns of dental fluorosis.
• The timing of tooth development relative to fluoride tablet initiation significantly impacts fluorosis manifestation.
• Careful consideration of dosage and timing is necessary when prescribing fluoride supplements to children.