Factors Associated to Endemic Dental Fluorosis in Brazilian Rural Communities

Efigênia F. Ferreira, Andréa Maria D. Vargas, Lia S. Castilho, Leila Nunes M. Velásquez, Lucia M. Fantinel and Mauro Henrique N. G. Abreu
Additional contact information
Efigênia F. Ferreira: Department of Community and Preventive Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Avenida Antônio Carlos, 6627–31270.901 sala 3304, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
Andréa Maria D. Vargas: Department of Community and Preventive Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Avenida Antônio Carlos, 6627–31270.901 sala 3304, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
Lia S. Castilho: Department of Operative Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Avenida Antônio Carlos, 6627–31270.901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
Leila Nunes M. Velásquez: Department of Geology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Avenida Antônio Carlos, 6627–31270.901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
Lucia M. Fantinel: Department of Geology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Avenida Antônio Carlos, 6627–31270.901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
Mauro Henrique N. G. Abreu: Department of Community and Preventive Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Avenida Antônio Carlos, 6627–31270.901 sala 3304, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil

IJERPH, 2010, vol. 7, issue 8, 1-14

Abstract: The present paper examines the relationship between hydrochemical characteristics and endemic dental fluorosis, controlling for variables with information on an individual level. An epidemiological survey was carried out in seven rural communities in two municipalities in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The Thystrup & Fejerskov index was employed by a single examiner for the diagnosis of dental fluorosis. A sampling campaign of deep groundwater in the rural communities of interest was carried out concomitantly to the epidemiological survey for the determination of physiochemical parameters. Multilevel modeling of 276 individuals from seven rural communities was achieved using the non-linear logit link function. Parameters were estimated using the restricted maximum likelihood method. Analysis was carried out considering two response variables: presence (TF 1 to 9) or absence (TF = 0) of any degree of dental fluorosis; and presence (TF ? 5—with loss of enamel structure) or absence of severe dental fluorosis (TF ? 4—with no loss of enamel structure). Hydrogeological analyses revealed that dental fluorosis is influenced by the concentration of fluoride (OR = 2.59 CI95% 1.07–6.27; p = 0.073) and bicarbonate (OR = 1.02 CI95% 1.01–1.03; p = 0.060) in the water of deep wells. No other variable was associated with this prevalence (p > 0.05). More severe dental fluorosis (TF ? 5) was only associated with age group (p 0.05). Dental fluorosis was found to be highly prevalent and severe. A chemical element besides fluoride was found to be associated (p > 0.05) to the prevalence of dental fluorosis, although this last finding should be interpreted with caution due to its p value.

Keywords: dental fluorosis; epidemiology; geology; multilevel analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2010
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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