Enamel Defects in 8-Year-Old Children in Fluoridated and Non-Fluoridated Parts of Cheshire

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of developmental defects of enamel in fluoridated (1 ppm F) and non-fluoridated (less than 0.2 ppm F) communities in Cheshire, England. Eight-year-old children were examined under blind conditions. Only lifetime residents were included and only children with no history of dietary fluoride supplements. Significantly more children living in the fluoridated community (60%) had enamel defects compared to those in the non-fluoridated community (44%). In the fluoridated community, significantly more children whose parents claimed to begin brushing at an early age exhibited enamel defects.