Spot-checking on present states of endemic fluorosis in Shandong province

  Objective   To understand the presentstatus of endemic fluorosis in Shandong pr ovince.

  Methods   The investig ated sites were selected by cluster sampling from 13 cities.To deter mine the contentof fluoride in drinking water by Fion selective electrode and diagnose dental fluorosis of children by Dean method.

  Results   The investigation covered 337 fluorosis villages of 31 counties belong to 13 regions.The fluorosis villages thatfluoride contentwas over 1.00 mg/L accounted for 54.41%, and the to tal rate of dental fluorosis of children 8 to 12 years old was 41.39%(25.05%~71.88%).The indexof dental fluorosis was 0.95(0.55~2.01).Among the fluo rosis villages thathad no improved water, the villages thatfluoride contentwas over 1.00mg/L accounted for 69.77%(max:6.62mg/L); the rate of dental fluorosis of children was 41.84%(0.76%~94.17%).Among the fluorosis villages thatwater-impr oving and defluoridation projects behaved normally, the villages thatfluoride contentwas over 1.00 mg/L accounted for 37.04%(max:5.57 mg/L), the rate of dental fluorosis of children was 32.71%(0.93%~98.21%).Among the fluorosis villages thatwater-improving and defluo ridation projects had stopped using and abandoned, the villag es thatfluoride contentwas over 1.00 mg/L accounted for 72.84%(max:8.32 mg/L), the rate of dental fluo rosis of children was 57.18%(3.92%~100.00%).

  Conclusions   The state of an illness fo rendemic fluorosis is still quite serious in Shandong province.So preventing and controlling measure forendemic fluorosis mustbe carried out.