Dental fluorosis and nutritional status of 6- to 11-year-old children living in rural areas of Paraiba, Brazil

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between nutrition al status and dental fluorosis in areas with fluoride in the drinking water in Paraiba, Brazil. Rural villages of comparable low socio-economic status and stable water fluoride levels were selected. Lifelong residents (6-11 y ears old, n = 650) were examined for nutritional status (height-for-age ind ex; WHO methods) and dental fluorosis of central incisors and first molars (TF index). The sample was divided into three groups according to fluoride levels in the drinking water: low (below 0.7 ppm F, n = 164), medium (betwe en 0.7 and 1.0 ppm F, n = 360) and high (above 1.0 ppm F, n = 126), Dental fluorosis was observed in 30.5, 61.1 and 71.4% of the children in these F g roups, respectively. The prevalence was significantly related to the water F concentrations (chi(2) = 59.93, d.f. = 2, p<0.001). The severity of denta l fluorosis ranged from TF 1 to 3 in the low F group and up to 7 in the oth ers. Malnutrition prevalence was approximately 20% in all F groups, but was unrelated to dental fluorosis. The fairly high prevalence of dental fluoro sis observed suggests that other factors may be operating.