Estimation of Fluoride Level in Drinking Water and Prevalence of Dental Fluorosis in Vairag Village of Solapur District, Maharashtra, India: A Cross Sectional Study Someshwar M Golgire 1 , Shraddha S Shetti 2 , Anil Patil 3* , Mahesh Khairnar 4 , Aniruddha Varekar 1 and Vinayak Doijad 5 1 Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University Dental College and Hospital, Sangli, Maharashtra, India 2 Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics, Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University Dental College and Hospital, Sangli, Maharashtra, India 3 Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University Dental College and Hospital, Sangli, Maharashtra, India 4 Department of Public Health Dentistry, Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University Dental College and Hospital, Sangli, Maharashtra, India 5 Department of Physiology, V M Medical Government Medical College, Solapur, Maharashtra, India * Corresponding author: Anil Patil, M.D.S., Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University Dental College and Hospital, Sangli, Maharashtra, India. Tel: +919850983500; E-mail: dranilp0888@gmail.com Received date: October 20, 2016; Accepted date: November 07, 2016; Published date: November 14, 2016 Copyright: © 2016 Shetti S, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Abstract Introduction: Dental fluorosis occurring due to drinking water with high concentration of fluoride is a common public health problem in India. Hence the present study was designed with an aim to estimate fluoride levels in drinking water source of the people from Vairag village and to determine the prevalence of dental fluorosis among residents of Vairag village. Materials and Methods: It was a cross sectional study conducted on residents of Vairag village of Solapur district in Maharashtra state. Drinking water source was analyzed for fluoride content by specific ion meter method. Dental fluorosis was assessed in 950 subjects using Community Fluorosis Index. Water samples from 4 different sources were analyzed for fluoride level. Data obtained was subjected to descriptive statistics. Results: The fluoride concentration in the water samples collected ranged from 0.64-7.8 ppm. Of 950 subjects studied, 149 (15.68%) subjects suffered from various grades dental fluorosis. Community fluorosis index was found to be 0.354. Conclusions: Though we found subjects suffering from dental fluorosis in Vairag village (15.68% prevalence), it can be considered as a public health problem (according to CFI value 0.354). Keywords: Community luorosis index; Dental luorosis; Fluoride; Water Introduction Fluoride has always been considered as a double edged sword. he optimum and judicious use of luoride has resulted in caries protection whereas injudicious use has resulted in chronic luoride toxicity, which manifests as dental and skeletal luoride [1]. Dental luorosis is an endemic disease occurring in people who consume water having luoride concentration more than normal levels (1.0-1.5 ppm) at the time of tooth formation [2,3]. Fluorotic lesions are usually bilaterally symmetrical and clinical features of dental luorosis range from few minute white lecks or spots to brown stains with pits on teeth [4]. Children in the age group of 1-12 years are more prone to development of luorosis since their body tissues are in formative or developmental stage during this period. Endemic luorosis is considered to be a major public health problem worldwide as well as in India. More than 60 million people are exposed to risk of luorosis due to high concentration of luoride in drinking water [5]. Almost 230 districts of 19 states in India are endemic for dental and skeletal luorosis, Maharashtra, being one of the afected states [6]. Available literature shows that many areas in Maharashtra state are afected due to problem of luorosis; major reason being consumption of water having high concentration of luoride in the range of 0.8-10 ppm [7-9]. Hence the present study was undertaken with an aim to estimate the luoride concentration in drinking water in Vairag Village of Solapur district of Maharashtra, India and to determine the prevalence of dental luorosis in residents of Vairag village. Material and Methods he present study was across sectional study conducted among 950 residents of Vairag village, Solapur district of Maharashtra state. Permission to conduct the study was obtained from Sarpanch of Grampanchayat of Vairag village. Ethical clearance was obtained from Institutional Ethical Committee. All the residents were explained about the objectives of the study and informed consent was obtained from them. All the included subjects in the study group were local residents and those who were residing there since birth. Subjects who consumed drinking water from more than one source and married females and those not native of Vairag were excluded from the study. Epidemiology: Open Access Golgire et al., Epidemiology (Sunnyvale) 2016, 6:6 DOI: 10.4172/2161-1165.1000275 Research Article OMICS International Epidemiology (Sunnyvale), an open access journal ISSN:2161-1165 Volume 6 • Issue 6 • 1000275