Nutrition survey in dental fluorosis-afflicted areas

The fluoride (F) intake, diet, and health status of children in two dental fluorosis-afflicted areas in the Province of Jiangxi, China were studied in an attempt to correlate nutritional status with dental fluorosis. The relationship between milk consumption and the incidence of dental fluorosis among the children was stressed in this study. Average body weight of the children approximated that of the national standard. Protein intake was above the national standard of 0.75 g/kg body weight/day, but the protein was derived mainly from plant sources. Calcium intake was found to be insufficient. Based on the diet and fluoride intake of the studied groups, the areas with a better nutritional status were found to have a lower incidence of dental fluorosis. The incidence among milk-consuming children was lower than that of non-milk-consuming children.