Fluoride intake in preschoolers from two different communes in Santiago, Chile

Authors

  • Ismael Yévenes
  • Barbara Henández
  • Alfredo Apip Ramos
  • Miguel Neira Jara
  • Paula Maass Wolfenson
  • Ljubica Petrasic

Keywords:

Fluoride, children, ingestion

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the fluoride intake in three- to five-year-old preschool children from two communes in Chile, one with a non-fluoridated public water supply (Maipú) and the other with fluoridated public water supply since 1996, at a fluoride concentration of 0.6 mg/L (Peñalolen). Methods: Cross-sectional, observational design. The sample population was composed of 200 three-to-five-year-old children attending four kindergartens in the Santiago Metropolitan Region, Chile, in the communes of Maipú and Peñalolen. Intake of fluoride was measured in a morning urine sample by using an ion-specific electrode and creatinine concentration. The fluoride intake from other sources was estimated from the parents’ and educators’ survey answers. Results: The daily dose of fluoride intake (DDI) for all Maipú preschoolers was 0.021 mg F/kg body weight (bw)/day, a value less than the optimal dose, which is 0.05 to 0.07 mg F/kg bw/day. The DDI for the Peñalolen sample reached 0.066 mg F/kg bw/day. There is a contribution from fluoride toothpaste ingestion of 0.019 mg F/kg bw/day in Maipú and 0.017 mg F/kg bw/day in Peñalolen. The overall frequency of daily brushing was 3.15 times, during which 31% of Maipú children and 33% of Peñalolen children ingested toothpaste. The estimated amount of fluoride intake from toothpaste and tea consumption explained the contribution of fluoride not coming from fluoridated water. Conclusion: The fluoride ingestion from water and other sources in the preschool commune of Peñalolen is much higher than the fluoride intake in preschoolers of the Maipú district.

Author Biographies

Ismael Yévenes

Department of Chemical, Dental School, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile

Barbara Henández

Department of Restorative Dentistry, Dental School, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile

Alfredo Apip Ramos

Department of Chemical, Dental School, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile

Miguel Neira Jara

Department of Chemical, Dental School, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile

Paula Maass Wolfenson

Department of Chemical, Dental School, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile

Ljubica Petrasic

Department of Chemical, Dental School, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile

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Published

2010-06-11

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Section

Original Article