title: Should the drinking water of Truro, Nova Scotia, be fluoridated? Water fluoridation in the 1990s.
abstract: An epidemiological assessment of differences in caries and fluorosis prevalences between children in Truro (< 0.1 ppm) and Kentville (fluoridated at 1.1 ppm in 1991), Nova Scotia, Canada, was completed in 1991. Out of a total of 429 children, in grades 5 and 6, in the two towns in 1991, 219 (51%) were examined. Parents answered a self-administered questionnaire investigating the sources of drinking water used by the children since birth, residence history, use of fluoride supplements, dentifrices, and other fluoride products during the first 6 yr of the life. The examination criteria differentiated between non-cavitated and cavitated carious lesions. Dental fluorosis was measured using the TSIF index. Examiner agreement was excellent. Of the children examined, 80 (36.5%) drank water (fluoridated or non-fluoridated) from municipal water systems during the first 6 yr of life. The children were assigned into five groups based upon residence history and exposure to fluoridated water during the first 6 yr of life. The percentage difference in mean DMFS scores between children in the fluoridated and non-fluoridated groups is 17% (delta DMFS1 = 0.7) when non-cavitated carious lesions are included and 39% (delta DMFS2 = 1.1) when they are excluded. The differences are not statistically significant. The significant risk factors associated with the DMFS1 and DMFS2 scores identified by a stepwise multiple regression analysis are: education level of the father, gender, and number of years of reported use of toothpaste during the first 6 yr of life. Dental fluorosis (mainly TSIF score of 1) was present in 41.5% and 69.2% of the children in the non-fluoridated and fluoridated groups, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Dentistry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada.
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Ismail
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shoveller
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Langille
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: MacInnis
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McNally
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005457:Fluoridation / Q000639:trends; D005459:Fluorides / Q000032:analysis / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009050:Fluorosis, Dental / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009674:Nova Scotia / Q000453:epidemiology; D010290:Parents; D010895:Pit and Fissure Sealants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D014075:Tooth Discoloration / Q000453:epidemiology; D014881:Water Supply / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D010895:Pit and Fissure Sealants; D005459:Fluorides