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Urinary fluoride excretion in 4-year-old children in Sri Lanka and England
A J Rugg-Gunn1, J H Nunn, L Ekanayake
1Department of Child Dental Health, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Insights
Children in Sri Lanka excreted more fluoride daily than children in England, despite similar water fluoride levels. Further research is needed to understand fluoride intake differences.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Pediatric Health
- Public Health
Background:
- Fluoride intake is crucial for dental health but excessive levels can be harmful.
- Drinking water is a primary source of fluoride exposure in children.
- Geographical variations in water fluoride content can lead to differential exposure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare fluoride excretion in urine between 4-year-old children in Sri Lanka and England.
- To investigate potential differences in fluoride intake based on geographical location and water fluoride levels.
Main Methods:
- Collected 24-hour urine samples from 53 children in Dambulla, Sri Lanka, and 44 children in Newcastle, England.
- Both locations had drinking water with 0.8-1.1 mgF/l fluoride.
- Analyzed urine samples for fluoride concentration and calculated daily fluoride excretion.
Main Results:
- Mean 24-hour urine volume was similar between Sri Lanka (504 ml) and England (449 ml).
- Mean urinary fluoride concentration was slightly higher in Sri Lanka (1.19 ppm) than in England (1.02 ppm).
- Significantly higher mean daily fluoride excretion was observed in Sri Lankan children (0.55 mgF/day) compared to English children (0.42 mgF/day).
Conclusions:
- Despite comparable water fluoride levels, Sri Lankan children exhibited greater daily fluoride excretion.
- These findings suggest potential differences in fluoride intake or metabolism between the two populations.
- Further investigation is warranted to elucidate the factors contributing to these observed differences in fluoride excretion.
Abstract:
Urine was collected over 24 h from children aged 4 years in Sri Lanka and England. Fifty-three children were from Dambulla, Sri Lanka, and 44 from Newcastle, England, both localities receiving drinking water containing 0.8-1.1 mgF/l. Urine volume was measured immediately after the 24-hour collection and samples of the collection from each child were frozen for transportation prior to 'blind' analysis in one laboratory for fluoride content. The mean 24-hour urine volumes were 504 ml (SD 198) in Sri Lanka and 449 ml (SD 196) in England (p = 0.17). The mean F concentrations were 1.19 ppm (SD 0.63) in Sri Lanka and 1.02 ppm (SD 0.42) in England (p = 0.12). The mean weights of fluoride excreted were 0.55 mgF/day (SD 0.30) in Sri Lanka and 0.42 mgF/day (SD 0.19) in England (p = 0.009). The distributions of weight of fluoride excreted were also dissimilar in shape between the two countries. The extent to which these small differences in fluoride excretion in urine reflect differences in fluoride intake needs to be investigated.