Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/43378
Title: Dental fluorosis in Gozo.
Authors: Vento Zahra, Ethel
Keywords: Dental hygiene
Dental care
Teeth -- Diseases
Issue Date: 2007
Citation: Vento Zahra E. (2007). Dental fluorosis in Gozo. (Master's dissertation).
Abstract: The aim of this study was to examine the levels of dental fluorosis in 5 year old and 12 year old school children, so as to evaluate if dental fluorosis in Gozo is presently a public health problem. A path finder survey carried out in 1986 by Moller suggested that dental fluorosis was a public health problem since values of >0.6 using Dean's index were recorded. These exceeded the threshold value of 0.4-0.6. However, Moller himself questioned the results due to the possibility that other enamel opacities were included as dental fluorosis. The objectives of this study were: 1. To determine prevalence of fluorosis in the deciduous dentition in Gozo, which has never been determined previously. 2. To establish how large a public health problem dental fluorosis currently is in both the deciduous (in 5 year olds) and the permanent dentition (in 12 year olds) in Gozo. 3. To determine how aware the 12 year old Gozitan children are about the aesthetic changes to their upper central incisors, associated with dental fluorosis. 4. To serve as a comparison for future studies which may be carried out to determine the effect of polished water on fluorosis prevalence in the same population. All 5 year old and 12 year old children with a signed consent form, present at the school on the day of the visit were examined clinically, and observations were recorded using the TF Index. Intraexaminer reliability was tested. Locality of residence in the case of 5 year olds and locality of residence up to 6 years of age in the case of the 12 year old children was recorded. The 12 year old children were also asked a question to determine awareness of aesthetic changes associated with dental fluorosis. The data collected was analysed using the SPSS software package. The results show negligible dental fluorosis in the 5 year old age group. 13.8 % of the 12 year olds had marks attributable to dental fluorosis on their upper anterior teeth, out of which only 4% have mild to moderate fluorosis (TF scores 3 to 5), the worst result recorded. Only 0.86 % of all the 12 year old children examined were aware of marks attributable to fluorosis on their upper anterior teeth. The difference in fluorosis between localities is statistically significant (p = 0.005). No correlation (p = 0.68) was found between mean fluoride concentrations (1994 to 2000) for individual localities and mean dental fluorosis levels reported in the respective localities. The conclusions drawn from this study are that: • Dental fluorosis prevalence in Gozo is currently: negligible in the deciduous dentition; low and mild in the permanent dentition. Therefore dental fluorosis in Gozo is currently not a public health problem. • The 12 year old children are not aware of the aesthetic changes associated with dental fluorosis. • There is a significant difference in the prevalence of dental fluorosis in the permanent dentition when analysed by locality. • The systemic source of dental fluorosis which is present in Gozo is not singularly tap water, as was previously assumed.
Description: M.SC. PUBLIC HEALTH
URI: https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar//handle/123456789/43378
Appears in Collections:Dissertations - FacDen - 2007

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