Fluorine determination in human healthy and carious teeth using the PIGE technique

The purpose of this study is to determine and compare the fluorine concentr ation in human teeth from two different populations, living in the Portugue se quite isolated islands of Acores: S. Miguel and Terceira. Both populatio ns have similar dietary habits, similar occupational activities, mostly rur al, and the age of both populations is more or less the same, around 40 yea rs. No chronic diseases were registered in any of the donors. The two group s are exposed to different levels of fluorine in drinking water. Terceira i sland has moderate fluorine concentration levels (1-2 mug g(-1)) while S. M iguel island is known for the high fluorine concentration levels in its wat er (> 3 mug g(-1)), especially in one area known as Furnas. Thirty-three te eth, 17 healthy and 16 carious without restoration (14 incisors and canines , 7 premolars and 12 molars), were collected and analyzed for the determina tion of fluorine concentration in the dentine region, using the nuclear rea ction F-19(p, alpha gamma)O-16. The teeth were cross-sectioned along the ve rtical plane and polished, in order to obtain a smooth and plane surface of about 1 mm thickness. In this work an association between caries prevalenc e and fluorine content of drinking water is discussed and the variation of fluorine concentration among different types of teeth (canines and incisors , premolars, molars) and physical state (carious and non-carious) is examin ed. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.