NUTRITION SURVEY IN DENTAL FLUOROSIS-AFFLICTED AREAS

The fluoride (F) intake, diet, and health status of children in two de ntal fluorosis-afflicted areas in the Province of Jiangxi, China were studied in an attempt to correlate nutritional status with dental fluo rosis. The relationship between milk consumption and the incidence of dental fluorosis among the children was stressed in this study. Averag e body weight of the children approximated that of the national standa rd. Protein intake was above the national standard of 0.75 g/kg body w eight/day, but the protein was derived mainly from plant sources. Calc ium intake was found to be insufficient. Based on the diet and fluorid e intake of the studied groups, the areas with a better nutritional st atus were found to have a lower incidence of dental fluorosis. The inc idence among milk-consuming children was lower than that of non-milk-c onsuming children.