Total fluoride intake in children aged 22-35 months in four Colombian cities.

OBJECTIVE: To obtain information on the level of total fluoride intake from food, beverages and toothpaste by children at the age of 22-25 months of low and high socioeconomic status (SES) in major Colombian cities. METHODS: Daily fluoride intake was assessed by the duplicate plate method and by recovered toothpaste solution during a 3-day period and afterwards analysed by the microdiffusion method. RESULTS: Mean daily fluoride intake was 0.11 (+/-0.10), 0.14 (+/-0.12), 0.10 (+/-0.07) and 0.07 (+/-0.06) mg/kg body weight (bw)/day in Bogota, Medellin, Manizales and Cartagena, respectively. The total fluoride intake was higher in low-SES subjects in the cities of Medellin and Bogota. In the high-SES children of the four cities, the average intakes ranged from 0.06 to 0.09 mg F/kg bw, whereas, the low-SES children in three cities had intakes between 0.11 and 0.21 mg F/kg bw (Cartagena, 0.07). Toothpaste (containing 1000-1500 ppm F, with 1500 ppm F being more common) accounted for approximately 70% of total fluoride intake, followed by food (24%) and beverages (<6%). More than half the children had their teeth brushed by an adult, on average twice a day, using 0.22-0.65 g of toothpaste. CONCLUSION: Children from three Colombian cities have a mean total daily fluoride intake above the 'optimal range'. Health authorities should promote an appropriate use of fluoridated dentifrices discouraging the use of dentifrices containing 1500 ppm F in children younger than 6 years of age and promoting a campaign of education of parents and oral health professionals on adequate toothbrushing practices.

Fluoride intake and fractional urinary fluoride excretion of Colombian preschool children.

AIMS: The purpose of this study was to assess the total fluoride intake and the fractional urinary fluoride excretion (FUFE) relative to the customary daily fluoride (F) ingestion in preschool children between 48-59 months of age. DESIGN: Total fluoride ingestion, from dietary and toothpaste samples was determined in 120 young children, dwellers of four Colombian cities. A "duplicate plate" technique was used. In Colombia, table salt is fluoridated to a concentration of between 180-220 mg F/kg. Individual (n=96) FUFE values were calculated as the ratio between the total amount of F excreted in the urine and the total amount of F ingested, over a 24-hour period. RESULTS: The average daily F-intake was 0.098 mg F/kg/day; 95% C.I. = 0.085-0.111 mg F/kg/day. The proportion of fluoride ingestion from toothpaste to the total fluoride intake was higher than 66% in all cities. The average FUFE values of subjects from each of the four Colombian cities under study did not differ significantly (ANOVA; p >0.91). The average 24-hour FUFE value for preschool children was 0.33; 95% C.I. = 0.29-0.37. CONCLUSIONS: The results obtained suggest that preschool children residing in Colombian urban areas are ingesting amounts of fluoride above the upper limit of the proposed safe threshold. FUFE values are similar to those reported in previous studies where daily F-doses were equal or higher than 0.064 mg F/kg.

Critical evaluation of previously published data on the fractional urinary fluoride excretion in young children.

BACKGROUND: There have been several investigations comparing total fluoride intake and the urinary fluoride excretion in young children. Average results of the fractional urinary fluoride excretion (FUFE) reported for this age group are controversial. OBJECTIVE: To analyse previously published results exploring the influence that some metabolic variables, such as the F-dose (mg F/kg body weight), rate of urinary fluoride excretion, age and body weight, might have on FUFE values. DESIGN: Previously published results on average FUFE values in young children were analysed by means of bivariate correlations and when available, individual FUFE values were studied using multiple linear regression models. RESULTS: Published average FUFE values for young children are linearly correlated with the inverse of daily F-dose (r = 0.90; p < 0.0005). Individual FUFE values can be predicted by means of a multiple regression model using (dose)(-1), rate of F urinary excretion and age as significant predictors; multiple R2 = 0.947, and p < 0.0001, for all of the partial regression coefficients. CONCLUSIONS: Young children appear not to have a single average value for FUFE. A high proportion of its variability (81%) is explained by the inverse of the F-dose. About 95% of the variability of individual FUFE values for this age group is explained by (dose)(-1), rate of urinary F-excretion and age.

Caries prevalence in a rural Chilean community after cessation of a powdered milk fluoridation program.

OBJECTIVE: The milk fluoridation scheme established in Codegua, Chile, between 1994 and 1999 demonstrated the effectiveness of powdered milk as a community-based vehicle for fluoride to prevent dental caries. The present study aimed to compare caries prevalence in both the Codeguan control and test communities, three years after ending fluoride distribution through the powdered milk fluoridation scheme, to assess whether the benefits of such milk fluoridation were still present in the test community. METHODS: Children 3-6 years old living in Codegua (test community) and La Punta (control community) were examined for dental caries at their educational facilities by three trained and calibrated examiners using natural light, dental mirrors, and sickle probes. Differences in caries prevalence (dmfs) by year of the study were tested for statistically significant differences using the Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: Findings from Codegua (1999-2002) indicate that the dental caries experience increased in all age groups following the termination of powdered milk fluoridation. These differences reached levels of statistical significance in the 3-, 4-, and 5- year old group (P < .03). Comparing results from Codegua and La Punta (2002), no statistically significant differences were found. CONCLUSIONS: Termination of the powdered milk fluoridation scheme resulted in a deterioration of the dental health of children. After three years, dental caries prevalence was higher than that reached at the end of the scheme and equivalent to that of the control community without fluoride exposure. These results emphasize the need to establish and maintain an alternative mechanism of community-based fluoridation of proven effectiveness for the prevention of dental caries in communities where water fluoridation is not available.

Uso de pasta dental con flúor en niños de 3 a 5 años de la ciudad de Trujillo / Use of dental toothpaste with fluor by children between 3 and 5 years of age in Trujillo

Participaron en el estudio, un total de 56 niños de 3 a 5 años de edad de los distritos de Pesqueda, Mampuesto y la Esperanza en la provincia de Trujillo, departamento de la Libertad. Los datos fueron recogidos mediante una encuesta en la que se solicitó a las madres de los niños participantes entregar al investigador el tubo de pasta dental que estaba siendo utilizado por su niño para su higiene oral diaria. Se encontró que en el 100 por ciento de hogares se utilizaba pasta dental, y sólo un niño utilizaba una pasta dental con concentración menor a 600 ppm. El porcentaje de niños que se cepillaba los dientes con pasta dental fluorada al menos dos veces al día fue de 76,8 por ciento.