Fluorosis in an urban slum area of Nalgonda - Andhra Pradesh - An epidemiological study - Indian Journal of Public Health

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Fluorosis is an important public health problem in parts of India and is endemic in 20 out of 35 states and union territories. As high as 70% to 100% of the districts are affected with fluorosis in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan. Fluoride levels in Andhra Pradesh vary from 0.4 mg/l to a very high level of 29 mg/l. Since May 2007, a new water source was established (river Krishna water from Nagarjunsagar dam) to provide water to Nalgonda district, which had permissible limits of fluoride.

This study was carried out with the aim of re examining the current levels of fluoride in the water supply following this change, the current levels of fluorosis and the associated epidemiological factors by undertaking a survey. A cross sectional study was undertaken and  265 individuals residing in 92 households of the five slum colonies of Panagal were selected by multistage random sampling. Fluorosis was assessed by standard clinical methods and water samples were assessed for fluoride levels.

The study found that the mean fluoride level in the groundwater samples in the area was 4.01 mg/l and that of the Nagarjunasagar water was considerable lower at 0.74 mg/l. The overall presence of skeletal fluorosis was 24.9% and that of dental fluorosis was 30.6%. Based on the findings of the study, it was concluded that the people of Panagal area of Nalgonda were getting safe water with permissible levels of fluoride from the Nagarjunsagar dam. The paper ends by highlighting the importance of the study and the usefulness of information on levels of fluoride in the drinking water and the prevalance of dental and skeletal fluorosis for future monitoring through follow-up studies.

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