TITLE:
Fluorosis and Dental Caries in the Hydrogeological Environments of Southeastern Communities in the State of Morelos, Mexico
AUTHORS:
Gricelda G. Varela-González, Alvaro García-Pérez, Rafael Huizar-Alvarez, Maria Esther Irigoyen-Camacho, Maria M. Espinoza-Jaramillo
KEYWORDS:
Fluoride; Drinking Water; Fluorosis; Dental Caries; México
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Environmental Protection,
Vol.4 No.9,
September
17,
2013
ABSTRACT: Objectives: 1) To identify the hydrogeological
characteristics and fluoride (F-) concentration in drinking water in
the southeast of the state of Morelos, Mexico, and 2) to estimate the association between the
prevalence and severity of fluorosis, dental caries, and water F-concentration. Methods: A hydrogeological model was developed
to determine the vertical distribution of lithostratigraphic units, rocks’
hydraulic conductivities, and groundwater flow characteristics. A total of 649
schoolchildren from two communities received oral examinations. One community
was located in an area with 0.75 mg F-/L
in the water supply and the other in an area with 1.6 mg F-/L.
Fluorosis was assessed using the Thylstrup & Fejerskov Index (TFI) and the
dental caries were assessed with the decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT)
index. The region groundwater was extracted from an inter-granular aquifer
consisting of volcano clasts of intermediate volcanic chemical composition. Results: Oral examinations showed that 32.35% of
the children had severe forms of fluorosis (TFI ≥ 4) in the community with 1.60
mg F-/L and 7.8% in the
0.75 mg F-/L community (p
-/L and 0.75 mg F-/L, respectively (p = 0.2259). Conclusions: The increasing extraction of
underground water was associated with deeper water flows and higher F-concentration. In the
community with high F-concentration, a third of the children showed objectionable levels of
fluorosis. Adequate groundwater management actions are required to reduce
fluorosis risk.