Correlation between the prevalence of dental fluorosis and dietary nutrient intake in children / 公共卫生与预防医学

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the correlation between the prevalence of dental fluorosis in children and the intake of dietary nutrients. Methods A total of 81 children aged 8-12 (34 males and 47 females) with fluorosis were randomly selected in the districts of Daxu, Fuping, and Fuyang in Shaanxi Province where the drinking water had been changed for more than 5 years. The diagnosis of dental fluorosis was carried out using Dean's method. According to the 1:1 case-control study method, 81 children aged 8-12 (34 males and 47 females) without dental fluorosis were selected as a control group. A “double meal method“ was employed for dietary investigation for 3 consecutive days. The differences in dietary nutrient intake between the two groups of children were analyzed and compared. Results There was no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). Compared with the control group, the difference in the dietary intake of vitamin C, vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, phosphorus, and selenium in the fluorosis group was not statistically significant (P>0.05). The logistic regression analysis of the prevalence of dental fluorosis in children showed that the dietary nutrient magnesium was associated with the onset of dental fluorosis. Conclusion Within a certain range, dietary magnesium is a protective factor for children with dental fluorosis. It is suggested that school-age children in areas with excessive water fluoride should be supplemented with sufficient magnesium in their diets.