Evaluation of Fluoride Retention Due to Most Commonly Consumed Estuarine Fishes Among Fish Consuming Population of Andhra Pradesh as a Contributing Factor to Dental Fluorosis: A Cross-Sectional Study.
BACKGROUND
Fluoride in drinking water is known for both beneficial and detrimental effects on health. The principal sources of fluoride include water, some species of vegetation, certain edible marine animals, dust and industrial processes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the fluoride retention of most commonly consumed estuarine fishes among fish consuming population of Andhra Pradesh.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate the amount of fluoride retention due to ten most commonly consumed estuarine fishes as a contributing factor to Fluorosis by SPADNS Spectrophotometric method. The presence and severity of dental fluorosis among fish consuming population was recorded using Community Fluorosis Index. Statistical analysis was done using MedCalc v12.2.1.0 software.


RESULTS
For Sea water fishes, the fluoride levels in bone were maximum in Indian Sardine (4.22 ppm). Amongst the river water fishes, the fluoride levels in bone were maximum in Catla (1.51 ppm). Also, the mean total fluoride concentrations of all the river fishes in skin, muscle and bone were less (0.86 ppm) as compared to the sea water fishes (2.59 ppm). It was unveiled that sea fishes accumulate relatively large amounts of Fluoride as compared to the river water fishes. The mean Community Fluorosis Index was found to be 1.06 amongst a sampled fish consuming population. Evaluation by Community Index for Dental fluorosis (CFI) suggested that fluorosis is of medium public health importance.


CONCLUSIONS
It was analysed that bone tends to accumulate more amount of fluoride followed by muscle and skin which might be due to the increased permeability and chemical trapping of fluoride inside the tissues. The amount of fluoride present in the fishes is directly related to the severity of fluorosis amongst fish consuming population, suggesting fishes as a contributing factor to fluorosis depending upon the dietary consumption.
Senior Lecturer, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Jaipur Dental College , Jaipur, Rajasthan, India .
Shravani
S
Ganta
Registrar, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Government Dental College , Srinagar, J&K, India .
Asif
A
Yousuf
Professor and Head, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Jaipur Dental College , Jaipur, Rajasthan, India .
Anup
A
Nagaraj
Assistant Professor, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Government Dental College , Jaipur. Rajasthan, India .
Sonia
S
Pareek
Registrar, Department of Pedodontics, Govt. Dental College , Srinagar, J&K, India .
Mohsin
M
Sidiq
Senior Lecturer, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Panineeya Institute of Dental Sciences & Research Centre , Dilsukhnagar, Hyderabad, India .
Kushpal
K
Singh
Post Graduate, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Jaipur Dental College , Jaipur, Rajasthan, India .
Preeti
P
Vishnani
Dental fluorosis; Fluoride intake; Foods; Spectrophotometry