Some recent research suggests that children growing up in areas where there are high concentrations of fluoride in their drinking water have lower IQ scores. Several studies, many of them conducted in China, have found a link between a decrease in IQ and fluoride concentrations. Health Canada recently recommended a reduction in the maximum amount of fluoride added to drinking water, but this was meant to reduce the risk of fluorosis, a mottling of children’s teeth. The Canadian agency has concluded that the “weight of evidence” does not support a fluoride - IQ link. Unsurprisingly, dentists agree, although I’m not sure how dentists would measure IQ!
A systematic review of studies examining connections between cognitive scores and fluoride levels was conducted by researchers at the University of Toronto. Their review indicated that, although the evidence is not conclusive, there are at least 20 studies reporting a significant drop in IQ scores for children in high-fluoride areas.
http://familyanatomy.wordpress.com/2008/08/08/high-fluoride-levels-may-affect-cognitive-development/
Showing posts with label control Fluorosis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label control Fluorosis. Show all posts
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Prevalence of dental fluorosis
Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute of Medical Sciences and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India.
BACKGROUND: Fluorosis is considered endemic in 15 states of India. Dental fluorosis is the most convenient biomarker of exposure to fluoride. In Kerala, although the condition is reported to be endemic in the districts of Alappuzha and Palakkad, there are no systematic epidemiological studies evaluating dental fluorosis. We studied the prevalence of dental fluorosis among school children in Ambalappuzha taluk, Alappuzha district, Kerala and evaluated the contribution of potential risk factors. METHODS: We conducted a community-based, cross-sectional survey of 1142 school children (630 girls, 512 boys) in the age group of 10-17 years, using a multistage random cluster sampling technique. A pre-tested structured questionnaire was used to assess exposure to various sources of fluoride. A dental specialist examined all the children to determine the presence or absence of dental fluorosis and graded the degree of dental fluorosis using Dean's Index. The water fluoride content in the study area was obtained from the district water authority department. Bivariate associations were examined using the Chi-square and Chi-square trend tests, while multiple logistic regression was used to evaluate the association of select risk factors with the presence or absence of dental fluorosis. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of dental fluorosis in our study sample was 35.6% and the community fluorosis index was 0.69. The prevalence of dental fluorosis was higher in the urban compared to the rural areas (55.3% v. 16.8%; p < 0.001), and in girls compared to boys (39.2% v. 31.3%; p < 0.01). The prevalence of dental fluorosis was higher among children who consumed pipe water as compared to children who consumed well water (44.8% v. 12.7%; p < 0.001). We noted a step-wise increase in the prevalence of dental fluorosis with a corresponding increase in water fluoride content in different panchayats (p = 0.024). The principal factor associated with the presence of dental fluorosis was a high fluoride content of drinking water (OR 1.85, 95% Cl: 1.17-2.92). We did not observe any significant association between dental fluorosis and the intake of brick-tea, consumption of fish or the use of toothpaste. CONCLUSION: Dental fluorosis is a public health problem in the Ambalappuzha taluk. Active steps must be taken to partially defluoridate the water before distribution to reduce the morbidity associated with dental fluorosis in this area. Similar surveys are required in other parts of India to identify areas with high water fluoride content and determine the extent and manner in which defluoridation can be carried out.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10492580
BACKGROUND: Fluorosis is considered endemic in 15 states of India. Dental fluorosis is the most convenient biomarker of exposure to fluoride. In Kerala, although the condition is reported to be endemic in the districts of Alappuzha and Palakkad, there are no systematic epidemiological studies evaluating dental fluorosis. We studied the prevalence of dental fluorosis among school children in Ambalappuzha taluk, Alappuzha district, Kerala and evaluated the contribution of potential risk factors. METHODS: We conducted a community-based, cross-sectional survey of 1142 school children (630 girls, 512 boys) in the age group of 10-17 years, using a multistage random cluster sampling technique. A pre-tested structured questionnaire was used to assess exposure to various sources of fluoride. A dental specialist examined all the children to determine the presence or absence of dental fluorosis and graded the degree of dental fluorosis using Dean's Index. The water fluoride content in the study area was obtained from the district water authority department. Bivariate associations were examined using the Chi-square and Chi-square trend tests, while multiple logistic regression was used to evaluate the association of select risk factors with the presence or absence of dental fluorosis. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of dental fluorosis in our study sample was 35.6% and the community fluorosis index was 0.69. The prevalence of dental fluorosis was higher in the urban compared to the rural areas (55.3% v. 16.8%; p < 0.001), and in girls compared to boys (39.2% v. 31.3%; p < 0.01). The prevalence of dental fluorosis was higher among children who consumed pipe water as compared to children who consumed well water (44.8% v. 12.7%; p < 0.001). We noted a step-wise increase in the prevalence of dental fluorosis with a corresponding increase in water fluoride content in different panchayats (p = 0.024). The principal factor associated with the presence of dental fluorosis was a high fluoride content of drinking water (OR 1.85, 95% Cl: 1.17-2.92). We did not observe any significant association between dental fluorosis and the intake of brick-tea, consumption of fish or the use of toothpaste. CONCLUSION: Dental fluorosis is a public health problem in the Ambalappuzha taluk. Active steps must be taken to partially defluoridate the water before distribution to reduce the morbidity associated with dental fluorosis in this area. Similar surveys are required in other parts of India to identify areas with high water fluoride content and determine the extent and manner in which defluoridation can be carried out.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10492580
Monday, August 4, 2008
Dental Fluorosis
Dental fluorosis is a hypomineralization of tooth enamel produced by the chronic ingestion of excessive amounts of fluoride during the period when unerupted teeth are developing. Normal mineralization of permanent teeth, other than third molars, occurs from about the time of birth until about six years of age. After that time, teeth (except third molars) are mineralized to such an extent that they cannot be affected by fluorosis. Nor is it possible after that time to diminish any existing fluorosis by lowering the consumption of ingested fluoride.
The intensity of fluorosis ranges from barely noticeable, whitish flecks or striations that affect only a small portion of the enamel to unsightly confluent pitting of the entire enamel surface with dark brown or black staining. Teeth affected by the mildest degrees of fluorosis generally are not cosmetically compromised and are highly resistant to developing dental decay. Although primary teeth may be affected by dental fluorosis, the condition tends to affect permanent teeth more than primary teeth.
Various indexes or classification systems have been used in surveys to measure the presence and severity of enamel fluorosis. Most indexes score fluorosis according to various scales that range from absent to severe. The index developed by H. Trendley Dean has been used since 1942 and permits important historical comparisons.
Epidemiologic studies done in the 1930s and 1940s of the relation between fluoride concentration in water and dental fluorosis showed that about 10 to 15 percent of persons born and reared in communities with about one part fluoride per million parts of water (ppm) in drinking water had signs of mild forms of fluorosis. When water fluoridation began to be implemented in the United States in 1945, it was the only source of additional ingested fluoride other than that which occurred naturally in some foods and beverages, such as seafood and tea. Since then, many additional sources of fluoride have become available, such as dietary fluoride supplements prescribed as an alternative source of fluoride for areas with fluoridedeficient drinking water, various fluoride solutions, gels and varnishes for professional application, fluoride toothpastes—which currently comprise nearly all toothpaste sales—and fluoride mouth rinses. The use and misuse of these products has led to increased ingestion of fluoride by young children. Consequently, the prevalence, and to a lesser extent, the severity of dental fluorosis has been shown in recent surveys to have increased in both fluoridated and unfluoridated communities. Epidemiologic surveys have shown strong associations between fluorosis and consumption of water with higher than optimal water fluoride concentrations, early use of fluoride toothpastes, use of dietary fluoride supplements, and prolonged use of infant formula in the form of powdered concentrate.
To reduce the risk of developing dental fluorosis, toothbrushing by young children should be supervised closely. They should use only a dab or pea-sized quantity of toothpaste on a child-sized toothbrush and be instructed to spit out thoroughly after brushing. Dietary fluoride supplements should not be prescribed for children who drink fluoridated water. In fluoridated communities, parents who wish to give their children formula beyond the age of one year should use ready-to-feed varieties or dilute powdered concentrate mixed in bottled water with a low-fluoride concentration.
Fluorosis may be tested by bleaching affected teeth, sometimes accompanied by applying various remineralizing agents. Severe fluorosis may be treated cosmetically by bonding various facings on affected teeth.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Fluorosis management in India
Fluorosis management in India: the impact due to networking between health and rural drinking water supply agencies
ndia is one of 21 nations with serious health problems due to consumption of fluoride-contaminated drinking water. An estimated 62 million people in India (in 16 of the 32 states) are affected with dental, skeletal, and non-skeletal forms of fluorosis and associated health complaints. Even children of the age of 8 to 10 years have been crippled due to consumption of fluoride-contaminated water. Fluoride concentrations in drinking water vary from 1.5 to 39 ppm. To tackle the problem effectively, an innovative approach has been adopted. Networking between Public Health Engineering, health sector personnel, and nutrition experts of the individual states, and phasing in the activities with well-defined objectives for implementation, resulted in a multidisciplinary approach, with the main goal of providing safe/defluoridated water, preventing fluorosis, and improving the health status of the community through interventions. The information arising from research and development activities on fluorosis patients is translated into well-defined modules for clinicians to use in their outpatient departments while screening the patients. This is very important as the health complaints due to fluoride often overlap with manifestations of other diseases and can lead to incorrect treatment of patients. In the Fluorosis Management Programme, the emphasis is on generating awareness among professionals, developing information, education, and communication packages, involving the community, and devising specific strategies for using the technology for fluoride removal and other approaches for providing safe water and consuming calcium, vitamin C, and an antioxidant-rich diet on a sustainable basis.
http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=1176890
ndia is one of 21 nations with serious health problems due to consumption of fluoride-contaminated drinking water. An estimated 62 million people in India (in 16 of the 32 states) are affected with dental, skeletal, and non-skeletal forms of fluorosis and associated health complaints. Even children of the age of 8 to 10 years have been crippled due to consumption of fluoride-contaminated water. Fluoride concentrations in drinking water vary from 1.5 to 39 ppm. To tackle the problem effectively, an innovative approach has been adopted. Networking between Public Health Engineering, health sector personnel, and nutrition experts of the individual states, and phasing in the activities with well-defined objectives for implementation, resulted in a multidisciplinary approach, with the main goal of providing safe/defluoridated water, preventing fluorosis, and improving the health status of the community through interventions. The information arising from research and development activities on fluorosis patients is translated into well-defined modules for clinicians to use in their outpatient departments while screening the patients. This is very important as the health complaints due to fluoride often overlap with manifestations of other diseases and can lead to incorrect treatment of patients. In the Fluorosis Management Programme, the emphasis is on generating awareness among professionals, developing information, education, and communication packages, involving the community, and devising specific strategies for using the technology for fluoride removal and other approaches for providing safe water and consuming calcium, vitamin C, and an antioxidant-rich diet on a sustainable basis.
http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=1176890
Control of Fluorosis in India
All India Institute of Medical Sciences
Ansart Nagar, New Delhi - 110 029
A.K. Susheela, Ph.D., F.A.Sc., F.A.M.S.
Professor of Histocytochemistry, Department of Anatomy
Message to: Rotary International,
Oakmont, Pennsylvania
c/o Ellie Rudolph
Fax 412-828-5096
There are 20 nations in the world with health problems due to excess fluoride ingestion through water and food.
India, Africa, China, certain parts of Thailand, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Israel, Pakistan, Syria, Turkey are severely affected. However, the problem exist in U.K., U.S.A., Canada to a lesser extent possibly due to better nutrition, calcium and Vitamin C in diet which can nullify the toxic manifestations to some extent. But "Water Fluoridation" is a guaranteed danger to health.
The major problem is that, very often, skeletal fluorosis and non-skeletal fluorosis are misdiagnosed and treated wrongly as clinicians do not fully understand the manifestations due to fluoride poisoning/toxicity. These are not described adequately in Medical/Dental text books.
Dental fluorosis, is quite evident from the discolouration of the teeth from white, yellow, brown, to black spots or streaks horizontally aligned on the enamel surface, away from the gums. Even Dentists, quite a large number, do not fully understand fluoride action on teeth. We have problems in India, as Dentists promote fluoride, among patients, who have dental fluorosis and the patients end-up with severe non-skeletal manifestations. Intense scientific debates have helped the Government, to amend our Drugs and Cosmetic Act of 1945, during 1992 to bring-in stipulations in the manufacture of fluoridated toothpaste. We would like to get the fluoridated toothpaste out of our country. But due to vested interests among concerned, it is not an easy task.
To summarise a few scientific facts which concerns the people around the world are: Fluoride ingestion affects adversely:
· muscle structure and function, resulting in muscle weakness.
· red blood cells (erythrocytes) are killed prematurely, lowering haemoglobin content, resulting in anaemia.
· blood vessels are blocked through calcification resulting in cardiac problems.
· the male reproductive organs are affected resulting in defective sperms, leading to infertility in some men, which is again related to the hormonal status of the individual.
· the gastrointestinal tract mucosa is deranged (the lining of the stomach and intestine) resulting in : pain in the stomach, gas formation, nausea, loss of appetite, constipation followed with intermittent diarrhoea.
· people loose their teeth and become edentulous at a relatively young age.
India is the first country in the world to develop two protocols for diagnosing Fluorosis at an early stage, so that prevention of the disease is possible. Radiographs revealing skeletal fluorosis is too late for reversal of the changes. Fluorosis has no treatment or cure. Prevention is the only solution provided the disease is diagnosed early.
· For early detection of fluoride poisoning we use 1) Gastrointestinal manifestations (non-ulcer dyspepsia) 2) a sensitive blood test SA/GAG for detection.
· In view of the enormous health problems due to fluoride, India is now investing massive amounts of funds for removing fluoride from drinking water.
· Dental caries on the contrary, is not a fluoride related disease: it is a bacterial disease. Can be easily prevented, if oral hygiene practises are promoted and calcium and vitamin C in the diet are given in adequate quantum to the child even before birth through maternal diet.
· However, Dentists invariably misguide the public by designating Dental caries as a fluoride deficiency disorder, which is grossly and scientifically incorrect.
· In India, we are educating our people through radio, TV and other print media, the dangers of fluoride and they shall avoid it. In the developed western world, as people are educated. I do not understand why it should be a problem to convince the Government against "water fluoridation" and to stop it.
· In early 1970 and 1980 some of the UN Organisations tried their very best to promote fluoridation of water in India (inspite of prevailing health problems due to excess of fluoride) and the scientific community fought the battle and was able to convey to the concerned Organisation(s) that they shall not enter India with the message for Fluoridation and we won the battle. They were trying to use the developing world to promote fluoridation based on the concepts of the "donor" countries but did not work.
"Peoples Health is the Nations' Wealth" and I hope the Rotary International would do everything possible to stop the cruel method of poisoning people through fluoridating drinking water in the name of prevention of Dental caries.
This truly reveals that no Organisation/Association can be taken for granted. Their intentions while promoting fluoride need to be questioned.
Professor A.K. Susheela
Dated: 24th February, 1996.
http://www.windsofchange.eu.com/fluoride03.html
Ansart Nagar, New Delhi - 110 029
A.K. Susheela, Ph.D., F.A.Sc., F.A.M.S.
Professor of Histocytochemistry, Department of Anatomy
Message to: Rotary International,
Oakmont, Pennsylvania
c/o Ellie Rudolph
Fax 412-828-5096
There are 20 nations in the world with health problems due to excess fluoride ingestion through water and food.
India, Africa, China, certain parts of Thailand, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Israel, Pakistan, Syria, Turkey are severely affected. However, the problem exist in U.K., U.S.A., Canada to a lesser extent possibly due to better nutrition, calcium and Vitamin C in diet which can nullify the toxic manifestations to some extent. But "Water Fluoridation" is a guaranteed danger to health.
The major problem is that, very often, skeletal fluorosis and non-skeletal fluorosis are misdiagnosed and treated wrongly as clinicians do not fully understand the manifestations due to fluoride poisoning/toxicity. These are not described adequately in Medical/Dental text books.
Dental fluorosis, is quite evident from the discolouration of the teeth from white, yellow, brown, to black spots or streaks horizontally aligned on the enamel surface, away from the gums. Even Dentists, quite a large number, do not fully understand fluoride action on teeth. We have problems in India, as Dentists promote fluoride, among patients, who have dental fluorosis and the patients end-up with severe non-skeletal manifestations. Intense scientific debates have helped the Government, to amend our Drugs and Cosmetic Act of 1945, during 1992 to bring-in stipulations in the manufacture of fluoridated toothpaste. We would like to get the fluoridated toothpaste out of our country. But due to vested interests among concerned, it is not an easy task.
To summarise a few scientific facts which concerns the people around the world are: Fluoride ingestion affects adversely:
· muscle structure and function, resulting in muscle weakness.
· red blood cells (erythrocytes) are killed prematurely, lowering haemoglobin content, resulting in anaemia.
· blood vessels are blocked through calcification resulting in cardiac problems.
· the male reproductive organs are affected resulting in defective sperms, leading to infertility in some men, which is again related to the hormonal status of the individual.
· the gastrointestinal tract mucosa is deranged (the lining of the stomach and intestine) resulting in : pain in the stomach, gas formation, nausea, loss of appetite, constipation followed with intermittent diarrhoea.
· people loose their teeth and become edentulous at a relatively young age.
India is the first country in the world to develop two protocols for diagnosing Fluorosis at an early stage, so that prevention of the disease is possible. Radiographs revealing skeletal fluorosis is too late for reversal of the changes. Fluorosis has no treatment or cure. Prevention is the only solution provided the disease is diagnosed early.
· For early detection of fluoride poisoning we use 1) Gastrointestinal manifestations (non-ulcer dyspepsia) 2) a sensitive blood test SA/GAG for detection.
· In view of the enormous health problems due to fluoride, India is now investing massive amounts of funds for removing fluoride from drinking water.
· Dental caries on the contrary, is not a fluoride related disease: it is a bacterial disease. Can be easily prevented, if oral hygiene practises are promoted and calcium and vitamin C in the diet are given in adequate quantum to the child even before birth through maternal diet.
· However, Dentists invariably misguide the public by designating Dental caries as a fluoride deficiency disorder, which is grossly and scientifically incorrect.
· In India, we are educating our people through radio, TV and other print media, the dangers of fluoride and they shall avoid it. In the developed western world, as people are educated. I do not understand why it should be a problem to convince the Government against "water fluoridation" and to stop it.
· In early 1970 and 1980 some of the UN Organisations tried their very best to promote fluoridation of water in India (inspite of prevailing health problems due to excess of fluoride) and the scientific community fought the battle and was able to convey to the concerned Organisation(s) that they shall not enter India with the message for Fluoridation and we won the battle. They were trying to use the developing world to promote fluoridation based on the concepts of the "donor" countries but did not work.
"Peoples Health is the Nations' Wealth" and I hope the Rotary International would do everything possible to stop the cruel method of poisoning people through fluoridating drinking water in the name of prevention of Dental caries.
This truly reveals that no Organisation/Association can be taken for granted. Their intentions while promoting fluoride need to be questioned.
Professor A.K. Susheela
Dated: 24th February, 1996.
http://www.windsofchange.eu.com/fluoride03.html
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