Dental caries and fluorosis among children in a rural Georgia area.

Abstract

PURPOSE: This IRB-approved study compared the caries experience, fluorosis prevalence, and plaque and salivary fluoride concentrations ([F]) in middle school (MS; N = 51) and elementary school (ES; N = 144) children residing in nonfluoridated and fluoridated communities in rural Georgia. All participants were exposed to fluoridated water at school (0.5-1.2 ppm), some received that level at home, and others received home water with < 0.1 ppm F. METHODS: Subjects' parents completed a questionnaire regarding fluoride exposure. Children were examined at school by two calibrated dentists. RESULTS: No significant differences were seen in DMFS+dfs between children with or without fluoridated home water, nor for those with or without fluorosis. MS children with non-fluoridated home water had lower mean salivary [F] values than MS children with fluoridated home water. No differences were found among MS and ES children in mean plaque [F] for those with or without fluorosis. CONCLUSIONS: Home water fluoridation had little effect on the variables measured. These findings appear to be due to fluoride exposure from fluoridated dentifrices, fluoridated drinking water at school, and the fluoride "halo" effect.