Dental Caries in Patients with Fluorosis among Local Population of Hyderabad

To assess the frequency of dental caries among individuals with dental fluorosis and to examine the relationship between fluorosis severity with the Thystrup-Fejerskov (TF) index and caries experience with the decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) index.

A cross-sectional, observational study. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro, Pakistan, from October 2023 to December 2024.

A convenience sample of 165 participants, aged 10-40 years and living in Hyderabad, was recruited. Participants with a TF score >1 were included. Intra-oral examinations assessed dental caries using the WHO DMFT index and fluorosis using the TF index. Non-parametric methods and logistic regression were employed.

Moderate fluorosis predominated (TF scores 3-4: 66%), while severe fluorosis (TF score = 6) was seen in only 2.4% of cases. Dental caries was highly prevalent, with 90.3% of subjects exhibiting DMFT >0. A weak positive association was seen between TF and DMFT scores (r = 0.147, p = 0.059), and significant differences in DMFT across TF groups were noted (χ² (4) = 19.260, p = 0.001). Logistic regression did not prove an independent association found between fluorosis severity and caries risk after adjusting for confounders.

Moderate fluorosis predominated among the participants and dental caries were highly prevalent, with 90.3% of subjects exhibiting DMFT scores greater than zero. There is no association between fluorosis severity and caries risk after adjusting for confounders.

Dental caries, Dental fluorosis, DMFT index.