Objective To study the relationship between the fluoride in drinking water and the prevalence of children's dental caries, and try to find the suitable concentration of fluoride in drinking water for dental caries prevention.
Methods Epidemiologic methods were used to investigate the prevalence of children's dental caries in Xinhua (drinking water fluoride mean and range in mg/L: 0.36±0.11, 0.19-0.76, children aged 8-13 years old, 290) and Wamiao (2.46±0.80, 0.574.50, 222 children aged 8-14 years old). Children were divided into nine subgrouups according to the drinking water fluoride: < 0.5, 0.5-, 1.0-, 1.5-, 2.0-, 2.5-, 3.0-, 3.5 and≥4.0 mg/L. To explore the dose-response relationship between the drinking water fluoride and the prevalence of children's dental caries, and calculate the BMDL(the LowerBound Confidence Limit on BenchMark Dose).
Results As the fluoide in drinking water increased the prevalence of children's dental caries reduced gradually when the fluoride in drinking water below 2.72 mg/L, but there were positive relationship when drinking water fluoride over 2.72 mg/L. The dose-response relationship between the fluoride in drinking water and the prevalence of children's dental caries was a U-shape. Considering the complicated cause of dental caries and other sources of dietary fluoride, the RfD (reference value dose) were calculated to be 1.55 mg/L and 1.29 mg/L.
Conclusion The suitable concentration of fluoride in drinking water for prevention dental caries was 1.0-1.5 mg/L in the investigated area.
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