RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: This study estimated the concentration of Ca, Mg and F in drinking water from five counties in Transylvania, Romania and correlated these with mineral values found in the dentine of permanent carious teeth. The role of these minerals on the re-mineralization of teeth is broadly analyzed. METHODS: The study consists of two parts: the first part is a pilot study aimed at determining the concentration of Ca, Mg and F in the dentine of permanent carious teeth of 75 male adults with residence in five counties in Transylvania. The second part is an evaluation of the levels of mineral composition in the drinking water from these counties. Mineral concentrations in dentine and drinking water samples, were determined in the laboratories of the public health institute and the research and analysis institute in Cluj Napoca, Romania. RESULTS: Statistically we found a direct and significant correlation between the Ca, Mg and F contain from the water samples and Ca, Mg and F contain from the dentine samples and an inverse correlation was statistically highlighted between Ca found in water samples and the F concentration in dentine samples. Improperly water mineralization associated with a general lack of fluoride reveals a potential negative impact on consumer health, including the oral-jaw system. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicate the need for improving the prevention of dental caries which is a priority in promoting orthodontic health for children. The variability in dentine minerals indicates the fact that permanent molar dentin represents an important biomarker for exposure. The future research will have to take into consideration the community residency status and the fact that these studies require a large sample to separate individual and community level contributions to dentin fluoride. Considering these notifications, we conclude that minerals are highly associated with caries.