Fluoride ingestion from food items and dentifrice in 2-6-year-old Brazilian children living in a fluoridated area using a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the fluoride intake of 2-6-year-old Brazilian children using a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) which also estimated fluoride intake from dentifrice.


METHODS
The FFQ was previously validated through application to 78 2-6-year-old Brazilian children and then administered to 379 children residing in an optimally fluoridated community in Brazil (Bauru, State of São Paulo). The FFQ was applied to the parents and used to estimate the food intake of the children. The constituents of the diet were divided into solids, water and other beverages. The fluoride content of the diet items was analyzed with the fluoride electrode. The questionnaire also estimated fluoride intake from dentifrice.


RESULTS
The average (+/-SD) fluoride intake from solids, water, other beverages and dentifrice was 0.008 +/- 0.005; 0.011 +/- 0.004; 0.009 +/- 0.014 and 0.036 +/- 0.028 mg F/kg body weight/day, respectively, totalizing 0.064 +/- 0.035 mg F/kg body weight/day. The dentifrice and the diet contributed with 56.3% and 43.7% of the daily fluoride intake, respectively. Among the children evaluated, 31.2% are estimated to have risk to develop dental fluorosis (intake>0.07 mg F/kg body weight/day).


CONCLUSIONS
The dentifrice was the main source of fluoride intake by the children evaluated. However, the fluoride concentration in food items also significantly contributed to the daily ingestion by 2-6-year-old children. The questionnaire used seems to be a promising alternative to duplicate diet to estimate the fluoride intake at this age range and may have potential to be used in broad epidemiological surveys.
Miziara
Ana Paula Borges
AP
University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Philippi
Sonia Tucunduva
ST
Levy
Flávia Mauad
FM
Buzalaf
Marília Afonso Rabelo
MA
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002327:Cariostatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003802:Dentifrices / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis; D004034:Diet Surveys; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005457:Fluoridation; D005459:Fluorides / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000032:analysis; D009050:Fluorosis, Dental / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005504:Food Analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male
D002327:Cariostatic Agents; D003802:Dentifrices; D005459:Fluorides