This chapter was aimed to identify the relationship between fluoride (F) enrichment and prevalence of endemic fluorosis in a rural area of Nuzendla mandal in Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh, India. The concentration of F varies from 0.5 to 12.4 mg/L in pre-monsoon groundwater and 0.14 to 16.0 mg/L in post-monsoon groundwater in the collected and analyzed fifty water samples. Dental survey conducted in the study area based on Dean Classification Index indicated different degrees of dental fluorosis due to the varying concentrations of F in drinking water. The significant positive correlation is identified between the F content of groundwater and urine fluorosis-affected children. The F level in urine suggests that a high level of endemic fluorosis is prevalent in the Nuzendla mandal due to the consequence of a higher concentration of F in underground aquifers. This study concludes that the high concentration of F in groundwater leads to increased dental deformities among the surveyed people and also urinary F is a good indicator of community exposure F.
Part of the book: Fluoride