RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TOTAL FLUORIDE INTAKE AND DENTAL FLUOROSIS IN AREAS POLLUTED BY AIRBORNE FLUORIDE

The relationship between fluoride (F) exposure and dental fluorosis in three (two experimental and one reference) villages in Jiangxi Provin ce, China, has been studied. Total daily F-intakes by adults in the tw o F-exposed areas, Changping Village and Wenpan Village, were 3.16 and 3.01 mg, whereas the incidence of dental fluorosis was 51.8% and 57.4 %, respectively. Airborne F levels of the two experimental villages we re similar to each other, but the SO2 level in the air was higher in W enpan Village than in Changping Village. On the other hand, food borne F levels in Changping Village was higher than those in Wenpan Village . The levels of kitchen airborne F and SO2 in the experimental areas w ere much higher than those in the reference area. Results from animal experiments showed that more dental lesions occurred in rats exposed t o both F and SO2 than in those exposed to F alone. These results sugge st that SO2 may be important in enhancing F-induced dental fluorosis.