Dental caries and endemic dental fluorosis in rural communities, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Abstract

It is observational, analytical and cross-sectional aimed to evaluate the association between severity and prevalence of fluorosis and dental caries in rural communities with endemic dental fluorosis in the north state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, with fluoride concentrations in water up to 4.8 mg/L. Data were collected by one examiner (intra-examiner kappa, 0.96 to 0,95 for caries and fluorosis) after toothbrushing. The study included 511 individuals aged 7 - 22 years, categorized according to age: 7 - 9 years (n = 227), 10 to 12 years (n = 153), 13 to 15 years (n = 92), 16 to 22 years (n = 39). For the diagnosis of dental caries used the criteria of the World Health Organization to measure indices DMFT. For fluorosis used the index Thylstrup and Fejerskov (TF), dichotomized according to prevalence (TF = 0 and TF > 0) and severity (TF < 4 and TF > 5). In the two younger groups, the DMFT and its decay component were higher in the group with more severe fluorosis (p < 0.001). This association was not found among adolescents and adults (p > 0.05). The association was found between the conditions more severe fluorosis and caries in individuals under 12 years.

Oral health status of schoolchildren living in remote rural Andean communities: A cross-sectional study

“…DMFT observed in this work is much higher in Andean remote rural communities surveyed than in other Latin American studies where it was reported to range from 0.56 to 3.54. [ 25 27 , 29 30 31 32 ] The 2015 World Health Organization target for children 12 years old and younger is less than 1.5. [ 33 ] The prevalence of DC was also greater among schoolchildren living in remote rural communities than has been reported in other rural areas.…”

“…[ 33 ] The prevalence of DC was also greater among schoolchildren living in remote rural communities than has been reported in other rural areas. [ 27 28 , 31 32 ] This difference between remote rural and urban areas might be explained by an unequal access[ 27 28 ] or an underutilization[ 27 ] of OH curative care in remote rural areas. The lower socioeconomic status of families living in remote rural communities is another factor that might explain an higher level of DC among schoolchildren in rural areas.…”

Accumulated knowledge and prevention practices in oral health

“…For this reason, some authors prefer to consider social injustice as a criterion of the difference between inequality and inequity. 14 There is broad knowledge on social determination, inequality and inequity, 16,17,18,19,20,21 yet there is little or no discussion on inequity and social justice. These should guide a discussion based on the principles of rightness, such as distributives of social justice (principle of right, merit and need) 22 or principles of social justice (guarantee of freedom, equitable equality of opportunities and presence of inequalities only to favor the disfavored).…”

“…These should guide a discussion based on the principles of rightness, such as distributives of social justice (principle of right, merit and need) 22 or principles of social justice (guarantee of freedom, equitable equality of opportunities and presence of inequalities only to favor the disfavored). 23 Costa et al 19 analyzed the Brazilian data of epidemiological surveys from 1986, 2003 and 2010, and the number of studies published on the social determinants of health, the establishment of the Commission on Social Determinants of Health (CSDH), set up by the World Health Organization (WHO), 10 and the creation of the National Commission on Social Determinants of Health (Comissão Nacional sobre Determinantes Sociais da Saúde -CNDSS) in Brazil. 11 The Rio Political Declaration on Social Determinants of Health, which was the final report of the World Conference on Social Determinants of Health, includes several commitments emphasizing the role played by social conditions in creating health inequality.…”

Flúor na Água do Aquífero Bambuí no Oeste da Bahia (Brasil)

“…No Brasil, pesquisas pautaram a relação flúor na água subterrânea e a fluorose (Licht et al, 1996;Cangussu et al, 2004;Toassi & Abegg, 2005;Velásquez et al, 2006;Ferreira et al, 2010;Komati & Figueiredo, 2013;Cruz et al, 2015). Velásquez et al (2006), Costa et al (2013), Cruz et al (2015) estudaram a relação flúor-saúde no Aquífero Bambuí, usada para o consumo humano, no oeste da Bahia e norte de Minas Gerais, com clima de subúmido a semiárido. A prevalência da fluorose dentária, em escolares aos 12 anos de idade, em São Francisco (MG) foi de 75-100%, e a severidade de 46-82% (moderada/grave).…”