Background: Excessive fluoride in drinking water causes dental, skeletal and non-skeletal fluorosis which is encountered in endemic proportions in several parts of the world including India. As per WHO guide line and the Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS), the permissible upper limit of fluoride in drinking water is 1.5 mg/L. Presence of Dental fluorosis among school children generally accepted as one of the best and reliable indicator of fluoride exposure. Objective: To determine the prevalence of signs and symptoms of suspected dental, skeletal, and non-skeletal fluorosis, along with food habits, addictions, and use of fluoride containing toothpaste among school students and community people taking water with fluoride concentration above the permissible limit in the selected affected village of Birbhum District of West Bengal. To create awareness and impart hands on training of the field workers and school teachers and community for early identification of cases of fluorosis and timely referral and to estimate Fluoride level and the biological quality of water used by the participants for drinking and cooking purpose. Methodology: A cross sectional study was conducted in 2 schools of Jamrand village of Kendgore GP of Khoyrasol block of Birbhum district of West Bengal to assess the occurrence of various dental, skeletal, and non-skeletal manifestations of fluorosis, along with food habits, addictions, and use of fluoride containing toothpaste among the study population (school children and community).Fluoride level and the biological quality of water used by the participants for drinking and cooking was also assesed. Results: Out of 250 children screened 42.8% children were found to be having Dental Fluorosis and majority of them were female (56%) and majority of students belonging to 6-9 yrs of age (75%). 72% of these students had mild disease, 24% moderate and only 4% had severe disease. Prevalence of Dental Fluorosis was 27% in the Community and majority of them were males aged 40-60 yrs. 9-18% of the populations were suffering from various symptoms of skeletal fluorosis and 8 -31% of population were having various symptoms of non-skeletal fluorosis. 53.33% of water samples collected from these household tube wells contained E Coli which is an indicator of microbiological contamination of water. Out of these Total Coliform count of water from 20% household tube wells were found to be equal or more than equal to 10 per 100ml indicating likely feacal contamination of water. Conclusion: Increased prevalence of dental, skeletal, and non-skeletal fluorosis was found among the study population along with high level of Fluoride and coliforms in tube well water. Withdrawal of source(s) identified for fluoride by supplying domestic and community filters, dietary restriction, nutritional interventions, motivation to use piped water supply and regular monitoring, supervision and testing of piped water supply are urgently needed to address these serious but somewhat neglected public health problems.
Impact Factor
2022: 6.012
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