Journal of Geography and Earth Sciences

The Dental fluorosis on Santana karst region, Bahia State, Brazil
Manoel Jerônimo Moreira Cruz, Carlos Alberto Machado Coutinho, Manuel Vitor Portugal Gonçalves

Abstract
This paper presents the research results obtained by studying the natural fluoride contamination of underground water and dental fluorosis observed in the universe of the population of the municipality of Santana, Bahia, Brazil. The levels of fluoride chlorides, sulfates, nitrates and nitrites were obtained by systematic sampling from underground wells and water complemented through the Brazilian System Water data (SIAGAS). Confirmation of endemic condition was assessed in a population of 159 adolescents, aged 12 years. The universe of the population was estimated at 118 adolescents using simple random sampling technique without replacement (AASS), with ratio estimator (prevalence) in the amount of 0, 815, confidence level of 90% and margin of error ?5%. The teenagers were interviewed based on a structured questionnaire and the prevalence and severity of fluorosis were obtained through the Dean index (Dean, 1934). The clinical examination and the questionnaire were carried out in schools, elementary school, the communities in the municipality of Santana-BA, performed by a trained dental surgeon with k = 0.85 (kappa). It found the prevalence to the municipality of 53% and the severity for moderate / severe degree of 17.7%, plus a strong association between the occurrence of dental fluorosis and the places where fluoride levels are. The fluoride content in almost every area were above the established (1.5 F mg/L) by Ordinance 2914/11 of the Brazilian Ministry of Health. The localities that showed the highest risk dental prevalence were Barreiro Fundo, Jacaré, Sossego, Pedra Preta, Caracol, Tapera e Várzea do Mourão.

Full Text: PDF     DOI: 10.15640/jges.v3n2a3