Fluoride Levels in Drinking Water in the Central Province of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background: This study was designed to assess the fluoride levels in drinking water in the Central Province of Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: A total of 817 water samples were collected from 260 locations in Central Saudi Arabia. An atomic absorption spectrophotometer [HACH instrument, model DR 3000] was used in the analyses of water samples for fluoride levels. Results:The results showed that fluoride levels vary between 0.00 and 6.20 ppm. About 75% and 6% of the population in Riyadh and Qassim regions, respectively, were exposed to very low fluoride levels (0.00-0.30 ppm), while less than 3% of the population in both regions were exposed to fluoride levels ranging from 0.61 to 0.80 ppm. A higher percentage of the population in Qassim than Riyadh region were exposed to high fluoride levels (>0.81 ppm); 28.63% than in Riyadh with 9.24%. Conclusions: The findings of this study can serve as a baseline data for water fluoridation and other dental preventive programs in the area.

Caries prevalence and its relation to water fluoride levels among schoolchildren in Central Province of Saudi Arabia

“…0.00.3ppm and Riyadh, so that the DMFT score has apparently more than tripled in Riyadh since 1991. The DMFT was also much higher as compared with a mean DMFT of 2.67 reported by Al-Shammery 2 in 1999 for 12 13-year-old Saudi schoolchildren. Almas et al 17 reported a mean DMFT score of 2.58 and 2.64 respectively among selected urban and rural 12-year-old schoolchildren in Qaseem.…”

“…The zones with similar levels of water fluoride concentrations were identified utilising a map prepared from the water analysis study 12 . The list of these zones was considered as a sampling frame for the subjects.…”

“…However, in reality there is no controlled fluoridation of water in any of the cities in Saudi Arabia, and the water supply is based mainly on natural ground water and/or desalinated water 11 . Al Dosari et al 12 recently conducted a study to determine the fluoride levels of drinking water in Riyadh and Qaseem Regions. The study analysed 817 water samples (utilising an atomic absorption spectrophotometer, HACH Instrument; Model DR 3000) collected from 260 locations all over the Central Province; and the fluoride levels were found to be between 0.002.5 parts per million (ppm) in Riyadh Region and 0.006.2ppm in Qaseem Region 12 .…”

Pattern of fluid consumption in a sample of Saudi Arabian adolescents aged 12–13 years

“…Water supply in Riyadh is based mainly on natural ground water and/or desalination water. The fluoride (F) concentration was determined to be between 0·00 and 2·5 mg/L [33,34]. Assuming a mean value of 0·7 mg F/L [34], the mean weight of fluoride ingested from drinking water and soft and fruit drinks would have been 1·18 mg/day.…”

Accuracy of bottled drinking water label content

“…This increase was quite stable with reference to population growth. However, the large consumption of bottled drinking water per person was mainly due to low level of fluoride concentration (Mohamed and Abdel Fattah 1987;AlDosary et al 2003) and apprehension about the contaminants of communal drinking water, fewer impurities, better taste, and possibly conferring higher social status (Wigle et al 1986;Paul et al 1998).…”