Fluorosis - causes and signs of fluorosis

Experts distinguish two main types of fluorosis. First, there is endemic fluorosis. The disease is spread in certain regions where children from an early age drink water with an increased content of fluoride in it.

Second, there is also occupational fluorosis. This disease occurs in people working in institutions where the fluoride content in the air exceeds sanitary standards.

Causes

The main reason for the development of fluorosis in humans is the excessive fluoride content in the water that people drink.

Symptoms

Fluorosis can be determined by the following main signs, namely:

• specific damage to molars in children;
• formation of white or brown spots, erosion on tooth enamel;
• increased fragility and wear of tooth enamel;
• initial forms of bone damage in the form of painful sensations in the joints, decreased joint mobility;
• pathological functioning of the autonomic nervous system, liver, muscle weakness.

Specialists There are five main forms of fluorosis. These are:

• Stroke form of dental fluorosis - it is characterized by the appearance of invisible, light stripes in the subsurface layers of tooth enamel. The lesions are the front teeth (central, lateral incisors, canines).
• The spotty form of dental fluorosis is diagnosed by chalky spots all over the crown of the tooth, while the shade of the spots in the center of the tooth is more intense than at the edges.
• The chalky-speckled form of dental fluorosis is characterized by the fact that the spots cover all the teeth, and the tooth enamel acquires a matte shade.
• The erosive form of dental fluorosis is characterized by the abrasion of tooth enamel at the site of the spots, and the formation of erosion.
• The destructive form of dental fluorosis is characterized by the destruction of the crown of the teeth, and the hard tissues are abraded.

Diagnostics

Depending on the clinical manifestations, diagnose the patient fluorosis can be a dentist, pediatrician or therapist.

Diagnostics are made on the basis of clinical manifestations that correspond to different degrees of fluorosis.

The doctor, first of all, must accurately establish the diagnosis by differentiating the spots. With caries, lesions are usually single.

If the patient has a pathological condition of the musculoskeletal system, then as a supplement to the diagnosis, the patient is sent for an X-ray.

Treatment

The choice of fluorosis treatment method is determined by the form of the disease (severe, moderate or mild).

If a doctor has diagnosed a person with fluorosis, then the patient needs to give drinking water for analysis for the presence of fluoride in it. If it has an increased fluoride content, then you need to replace the source of drinking water or use water purified from fluoride.

If you do not replace the water and continue to drink it, this will lead to the fact that fluorosis will progress to a severe form, and the affected teeth will begin to decay.

A patient with fluorosis needs to stop using toothpastes and other oral care products containing fluoride.

Doctors prescribe a course of medications for patients with fluorosis - calcium and phosphorus.

If fluorosis is mild, then the patient undergoes chemical, LED or laser teeth whitening. This procedure is followed by a procedure for remineralization of the tooth. A composition of phosphorus and calcium is applied to the tooth enamel using ultraphonophoresis, electrophoresis or by application.

If fluorosis is in chalky-speckled, erosive or destructive forms, then bleaching in this case will not give an effect. The best result will be with the restoration of teeth using veneers or lumineers.

If fluorosis is very severe, the patient has already experienced destructive changes in the tissues of the tooth, then he needs to be treated by an orthopedist: install ceramic or metal-ceramic dental crowns.

Prevention

Prevention of fluorosis in regions with high fluoride content in water consists in reducing the content of fluoride that enters the body. For this purpose, it is recommended to:

• use purified drinking water or water with normal fluoride content, brought from other places;
• refuse to use toothpastes and gels with fluoride;
• reduce the consumption of products that contain fluoride (fish, butter).

Preventive measures for children can be reduced to the following recommendations:

• rational nutrition, rich in dairy products and vitamins;
• courses on the use of calcium, vitamins C and D, multivitamin complexes.