Fluorosis Prevalence at Different Regions of the Earth (Literature Review)

Abstract

The aim of the study is to analyze the literature about the fluorosis prevalence and the factors which lead to dental and bone fluorosis. The search for articles published in 2016-2023 was conducted by the authors in Scopus and Web of Science scientific data bases using the keywords “fluorosis”, “dental fluorosis”. To classify the severity of dental fluorosis, the index of developmental defects of enamel (DDE), the index of tooth surface fluorosis (TSIF), and mostly Dean’s index Thylstrup & Fejerskov Index (TFI) are used. The risk factors for dental fluorosis include living in regions with high level of fluoride, drinking water with high level of fluoride or salt fluoridation, drinking bottled water, use of fluoride toothpastes among preschool children, early weaning, and use of infant formula for long time, and, as well as, a hot climate and high fluoride content in soil and food. The studies from India and China demonstrated that the average concentration of dental fluorosis and skeletal fluorosis at fluoride contained 6 mg/l. The prevalence of dental fluorosis in NorthernTanzania, where the fluorine content in daily drinking water is 3.6 mg/l, reaches 75,22%. In Ethiopia, where fluorine content is 5.09 mg/l, the prevalence of skeletal fluorosis ranges from 55.1% to 72.4%. In Kenya, the fluoride content in drinking water reaches 72 mg/l, so the prevalence of dental fluorosis is 80%. The prevalence of dental fluorosis is lower in South Western Saudi Arabia and Iran where fluoride level is lower. In Jordan, the prevalence of dental fluorosis reaches 39.9% due to the high fluoride content in miner rocks. Skeletal fluorosis is wide spread in some areas of Pakistan due to the contamination of ground water by industrial production. The prevalence of mild dental fluorosis is 39% in New castle where water is fluoridated, and 24% in non-fluoridated Manchester in England. Dean’s index and TFI index are mostly used to classify these variety of fluorosis. Various factors affect the appearance of dental and bone fluorosis worldwide, so the prevalence of fluorosis varies from 11,1 up to 100%.