Fluorosis a quick view

1. “FLUOROSIS”
- Pavinayaa Ravi,
- III year Nutrition, food service
management and dietetics.

2. Presentation Outline:
 Introduction of Fluorosis
 Prevalence of Fluorosis
 Etiology
 Treatment
 Prophylaxis of Fluorosis

3. Introduction of Fluorosis:
 Fluorosis Fluoride + sis . Fluoride is the essential elements which is
present in Bones, Teeth, Thyroid gland and Skin . Whereas the suffix sis
denotes the meaning like condition or a state.
 Fluorosis is a crippling disease resulted from deposition of fluorides in the
hard and soft tissues of body.
 It is a public health problem caused by the excess of fluoride, is most
commonly in drinking water/ food products/ industrial pollutants over a long
period that affects the teeth and bones, which results in major health
disorders like dental fluorosis, skeletal fluorosis and non skeletal fluorosis.

4. Prevalence of Fluorosis:
 In India:
 Rajasthan & Gujarat in north India and Andhra
in south India are worst affected.
 Punjab, Haryana, M.P. and Maharashtra are
moderately affected.
 T.N, W.B., U.P., Bihar and Assam are mildly
affected states in India.
 Throughout India fluorosis is essentially a hydro
fluorosis, except in parts of Gujarat an U.P.
where industrial fluorosis is also seen.

5. Etiology ( causes ) :
The major causes of fluorosis are …..
Dental fluorosis, Skeletal fluorosis and Non- skeletal
fluorosis.
 DENTAL FLUOROSIS:
 Clinical dental fluorosis is shown by staining and
pitting of the teeth.
 The teeth could be chalky white and may have
white, yellow, brown or black spots or streaks on
the enamel surface.
 Discoloration is away from the gums and
bilaterally symmetrical that most commonly
affects children below six age.

6.  SKELETAL FLUOROSIS:
 Skeletal fluorosis affects the bones and major joints of the
body like neck, back bone, shoulder, hip and knee joints
resulting in to severe pain, rigidity or stiffness in joins.
 Severe forms of skeletal fluorosis results in marked
disability and impairment of muscles.
 NON – SKELETAL FLUOROSIS:
 Non-Skeletal forms of fluorosis are earlier manifestation,
which develop long before the onset of typical changes in
teeth and skeletal bones.
 These are seen as gastro intestinal symptoms,
Neurological , Muscular and Allergic manifestation etc.
 It affects men, women and children of all age groups.

7. Treatment:
 Supplementation of vitamin C is shown to decrease the
symptoms of fluorosis.
 Water should be consumed from alternative running
water sources.
 Tamarind intake most probability helps in delaying
progression of fluorosis by enhancing urinary excretion of
fluoride (NIN 2000-01).
 While high intake of fluoride is a health hazard, a
minimum level of fluoride in water (<1ppm) is essential
to protect against dental caries. To prevent fluorosis and
dental caries fluoride levels of water should be >1ppm
but <2ppm.

8. Prophylaxis of Fluorosis:
• Creating awareness among the community about
fluorosis through health education and to
discourage them consuming water from high
fluoride sources.
• Supplementation of micronutrients such as
calcium, vitamin D and vitamin C to children and
adolescents will decrease the consequences of
fluorosis.
• Avoiding intake of fluoride rich foods such as tea,
tobacco and use of fluoride rich toothpaste .