Is the fluoride level in drinking water a gold standard for the control of dental caries?
OBJECTIVE
To obtain baseline knowledge of levels of dental caries in 12-year-old children residing in areas with varying levels of fluoride in drinking water in Pakistan; and to observe a dose-response relationship between the prevalence of dental caries at different concentrations of fluoride in drinking water.


METHODS
Clinical examination of children and analysis of samples of drinking water.


RESULTS
The maximum reduction of caries in relation to fluoride levels in Pakistan was witnessed between the fluoride concentrations of 0.00-0.33ppm.


CONCLUSIONS
There are no gold standards for setting up a universal optimal level of fluoride in drinking water and each country needs to determine the concentration of fluoride in their drinking water in accordance with its socio-economic and climatic conditions, dietary and oral hygiene habits of its population, and local research to determine how much fluoride is beneficial in the control of caries.
Khan
Ayyaz Ali
AA
Shaikh Zayed Federal Postgraduate Medical Institute, Lahore, Pakistan. ayyazk@brain.net.pk
Whelton
Helen
H
O'Mullane
Denis
D
D002648:Child; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005459:Fluorides / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D015588:Observer Variation; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D014881:Water Supply / Q000032:analysis*
D005459:Fluorides