Open AccessPrevalence of dental fluorosis in school going children of Dammam, Saudi Arabia
Author(s) -
Soban Qadir Khan,
Imran Alam Moheet,
Imran Farooq,
Faraz Ahmed Farooqi,
Aws S. ArRejaie,
Mohammad Hassan Abdullah Al Abbad,
Abdul Khabeer
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of dental and allied sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2277-6672
pISSN - 2277-4696
DOI - 10.4103/2277-4696.171516
Subject(s) - dental fluorosis , medicine , dentistry , significant difference , cross sectional study , environmental health , fluoride , inorganic chemistry , chemistry , pathology
Objective: Purpose of the study was to determine the prevalence of dental fluorosis and its pattern in primary and permanent teeth among 6-12-year-old Pakistani school going children living in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed between June and September 2014. A total number of screened children were 496 among them 259 were males and 237 were females. World Health Organization′s scale was used to examine children for dental fluorosis. Results: Prevalence of dental fluorosis was found to be 33% among a total number of examined children. Among the children who had dental fluorosis (n = 164), it was observed that mild and moderate level of fluorosis were prevailing in 113 (69%) children. Furthermore, a number of males who were suffering from fluorosis was more than the females. There were 97 males and 67 females found affected from dental fluorosis and this difference was found statistically significant (P = 0.038). Conclusion: Prevalence of dental fluorosis among Pakistani school going children was not high. However, the severity of fluorosis was alarming, mild, and a moderate level of fluorosis was observed in most of the children who were affected from fluorosis