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. 2023;7(2):280-288.
doi: 10.24248/eahrj.v7i2.742. Epub 2023 Nov 30.

A Door-to-Door Prevalence Survey of Dental Fluorosis in Tindigani, a Village in the Hai District of Northern Tanzania

Claire Stevens  1 , Anna Foat  1 , John Massawe  2 , Ally Mhina  2 , Irene Haule  2 , Daniel Benedict  3 , William K Gray  4 , Blandina T Mmbaga  5   6 , Paul Sallis  7 , Matthew L Davies  1   4
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A Door-to-Door Prevalence Survey of Dental Fluorosis in Tindigani, a Village in the Hai District of Northern Tanzania

Claire Stevens et al. East Afr Health Res J. 2023.

Abstract

Fluoride in excess of the World Health Organisation limit of 1.5mg/L in drinking water can cause dental fluorosis (DF) in developing teeth. DF is a significant problem in the Hai District of Northern Tanzania, where there is limited access to safe piped water and groundwater is high in fluoride. A door-to-door prevalence survey of residents of Tindigani village was undertaken to assess current prevalence and severity of DF in the Hai District, and the effectiveness of previous interventions to promote low-fluoride drinking water, following a prevalence survey in 2009. DF was graded by trained assessors, utilising dental photography, and drinking water sources were sampled for chemical analysis. DF was endemic in the 563 people assessed, with a prevalence of 79.4% (CI=76.1-82.7%). Prevalence and severity were found to be higher in permanent teeth than deciduous teeth. Fluoride concentrations in non-piped water sources ranged from 2.5-38.6mg/L. Despite more households reporting the use of low-fluoride, piped water sources, compared to 2009 (82.8% versus 62%), DF remains a significant problem in Tindigani and other such communities where low-fluoride drinking water is not easily and reliably accessible. Policy makers must prioritise reliable access to low-fluoride water, especially for children as their permanent dentition develops.

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Figures

FIGURE 1:
FIGURE 1:
Population Pyramid for Surveyed Households
FIGURE 2:
FIGURE 2:
Self-Reported Main Source of Household Drinking Water
FIGURE 3:
FIGURE 3:
Prevalence of Dental Fluorosis in the Household Survey as a Function of Age in Years. Error Bars Represent the Standard Error of the Mean
FIGURE 4:
FIGURE 4:
Mean TF Score as a Function of Age in Years for Individuals Affected by Dental Fluorosis
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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