Epidemiology of Dental Fluorosis in 7-10 Years old Students Attending to Community Dentistry Center of Zahedan

Dental fluorosis is a kind of hypoplasia, enamel and dentin deficiency due to fluoride overuse. Since there is little known about this important dental problem in Southeast area in Iran we designed an analytic descriptive study to estimate the dental flurosis prevalence in 7-10 years old students. Three hundred thirty four (334) children attending to community dentistry center during year 2006, were studied to evaluate the prevalence of dental fluorosis. Dental index (fluorosis rates) identified by a trained dentist. Criteria for definite diagnosis were existence of enamel defects with spread bilaterally and symmetrically. Children with hyperplasia tetracycline -induced, acute febrile illness in childhood and fetal birth dental defects (Dentinogenesis imperfecta, Amelogensis imperfect) were excluded from this study. The prevalence of dental flurosis estimated to be 30.8 percent in this sample. Dental fluorosis protests in the subjects were so: enamel opacities (70. 6%),discoloration(14.2%), pit(1.36%), enamel opacities and discoloration(12.9%),enamel opacities and pit (1 %). Superior anterior teeth were the most effected by fluorosis. There are significant difference in dental fluorosis between boys and girls (P=0.004), and intensity was higher in boys (37.5% versus 22.6%). fluorosis pattern no clear difference in both sexes (P=0.27). The prevalence of fluorosis was estimated 30.8% and intensity was higher in boys in Zahedan. Therefore it is essential that fluoride source and amount of fluoridation of drinking water be considered in Zahedan city.