Medico-legal aspects of dental fluorosis among children of endemic areas for fluorosis

Abstract

Introduction. Dental fluorosis presents an important medical and social problem. The results of drinkable water surveys in the Republic of Moldova show that in about 17% of the pre-university institutions located in more than 2/3 of the administrative territories, where do study 13.5% of the total number of students, the water samples are inadequate because of the excess of fluoride in water. As a result, every 7th student in the country is at risk of developing fluorosis. Aim of the study. The aim of the research is to analyze the patients’ right to information about the risk of dental fluorosis and to develop measures to remove obstacles on the subject and promote oral health in endemic communities. Materials and methods. In accordance with the aim and objectives of the study, a selective transversal epidemiological study of dental fluorosis was performed, in which 93 children aged 12 and 15 years from the village of Parlita, Ungheni district were examined. Results. The incidence of dental fluorosis in children in the endemic area - Parlita, IF represented 83.54%. The Community Fluorosis Index, CFI is 1.17, dental fluorosis having a repercussion on public health of medium significance. The study found all forms of fluorosis according to WHO classification, from questionable to severe in different proportions. Thus, following the analysis of the results, the following values were obtained: the questionable form - 27 (40.9%) cases, very mild - 14 (21.21%) cases, mild - 11 (16.6%) cases, moderate - 13 (19.6%) cases and serious - 1 (0.15%) case. Conclusions. The value of the collective COE indicator consisted of 96 teeth and the index of caries intensity was 1.21, so the level of this nozology’s intensity was estimated to be low (1.2- 2.6) according to the WHO (1980) standards for children in the area endemic fluorosis. Every second interviewed student considered his right to information on dental fluorosis prophylaxis to be denied, only 25% were informed by the dentist and 36.4% by the physician, motivated by very low ensuring with physicians and dentists in the endemic district.