title: Relationship of dental caries at different concentrations of fluoride in endemic areas: an epidemiological study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Fluoride has been an effective tool to prevent dental caries but efforts have been on to establish optimal level of fluoride in drinking water in different communities. The present study seeks to establish the safe and acceptable concentration of fluoride in drinking water which would lead to maximum caries protection with least amount of clinically observable dental fluorosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  30 villages from 2 districts of Haryana were classified according to differing levels of fluoride in the drinking water. 3007 school children (1558 males & 1449 female)] were examined and the DMFT score was related to the level of fluoride in drinking water.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The caries prevalence was maximum (48.02%) in the area having 0.50 ppm fluoride in drinking water The children from area having the 1.13 ppm fluoride level had the least caries prevalence i.e. 28.07%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the present study did not suggest any additional anticaries benefit beyond 1.13 ppm fluoride level. The present investigation showed that the optimalfluoride levels for drinking water for our conditions were near 1.13ppm (1-1.2 ppm) as there was maximum caries protection with least amount of esthetically objectionable fluorosis at that level.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Dentistry, Sudha Rustagi College of Dental Sciences and Research, Faridabad. maryacm@yahoo.co.uk
authors.forename: Charu Mohan
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Marya
authors.forename: Sonal
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dhingra
authors.forename: Vandana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Marya
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Ashokkumar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002327:Cariostatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis*; D002648:Child; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D005260:Female; D005459:Fluorides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012449:Safety; D014881:Water Supply / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D002327:Cariostatic Agents; D005459:Fluorides