High prevalence of dental and skeletal fluorosis in the rural children of Bankura District, West Bengal, India

Background: Fluoride is essential for bone and teeth formation and when intake of fluoride is more than the permissible limit, fluorosis occurs.

Objectives: To study the prevalence of dental and skeletal fluorosis in primary school students from rural areas of Bankura District, West Bengal, India.

Method: Study was carried out in 159 primary school students in four primary schools of four different Grampanchayats (Laxmisagar Grampanchayat, Simlapal Grampanchayat, Harmasra Grampanchayat and Machatora Grampanchayat) in Bankura District, which is one of the Fluorosis endemic districts in West Bengal, India. Dean’s fluorosis index was used to identify the possible presence of dental fluorosis. Fluoride in drinking water was estimated using ION-METER.

Results: Prevalences of dental caries, dental fluorosis and skeletal fluorosis among students were 32.7%, 72.3% and 11.3% respectively. The maximum water fluoride levels of the tube wells of the zones were 4.80ppm, 4.24ppm, 2.60ppm and 1.77ppm respectively, while prevalence of dental fluorosis among students of these zones was 52.6%, 72.2%, 84.8% and 100% respectively. This was statistically significant (χ²=22.265; p<0.001).

Conclusions: In the rural areas of Bankura District, West Bengal, India, prevalence of dental fluorosis and skeletal fluorosis among students was 72.3% and 11.3% respectively.

Sri Lanka Journal of Child Health, 2020; 49(2): 145-149