Clinical and epidemiological characterization of dental fluorosis

Abstract

Introduction: Dental fluorosis is a pathology of the enamel characterized by increased porosity in the superficial and subsurface layers.

Objective: To clinically and epidemiologically characterize dental fluorosis in children.

Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive, observational, quantitative study was conducted on children from the Manuel Ascunce Domenech Primary School during the 2019-2020 academic year. The study took place during the 2019-2020 academic year. Theoretical, empirical, and statistical methods were employed to define the study variables. The population consisted of 620 students, and the sample consisted of 120.

Results: Of the population under study, 63.33% were affected by dental fluorosis. The most affected age group was 7-8 years old (76.92%), and the most affected sex was male (71.43%). Regarding the severity of the disease, the predominant category was doubtful (37.5%). The risk factors that caused dental fluorosis were the following: excessive toothpaste on the toothbrush or adult toothpaste in the first years of life (81.67%), consumption of foods with high salt content and fluoridated toothpaste (40.83%), consumption of fish with bones (23.33%), and lastly, boiled water (17.50%).

Conclusions: More than half of the studied population presented dental fluorosis, with males being the most affected in the 7-8 age group. According to the Dean index, the predominant level of severity was questionable in the same age group for females. The most relevant risk factors detected were the use of adult toothpaste and using excessive amounts on the toothbrush.