E. Vartiainen et J. Vartiainen, THE INFLUENCE OF FLUORIDATION OF DRINKING-WATER ON THE LONG-TERM HEARING RESULTS OF STAPEDECTOMY, Clinical otolaryngology and allied sciences, 22(1), 1997, pp. 34-36
The long-term hearing results of stapedectomy were assessed in 294 pat
ients with otosclerosis living in an area where the natural waters hav
e a very low fluoride content. Only patients with an initially success
ful outcome were included. Patients having an additional known cause o
f hearing loss were excluded. The mean follow-up period was 9 yr. From
the best hearing levels achieved 6 to 12 months after surgery, the me
an air conduction thresholds showed an annual impairment of 0.4 to 1.1
dB/year and bone conduction thresholds an annual impairment of 0.5 to
1.0 dB/year. There was no significant difference between patients dri
nking fluoridated tap water and those drinking low-fluoride water. It
is concluded that a daily sodium fluoride intake of 1 to 3 mg in a low
-fluoride area is too small to have a significant effect on hearing im
pairment after stapedectomy.