Assessment of Fluorosis Prevalence and Severity in Communities with High Fluoride Water in Yobe State

Dental fluorosis resulting from excess fluoride consumption during tooth development is a recognised public health concern in parts of North East Nigeria, and its systematic documentation informs water quality and supplementation policy. This study assessed the prevalence and severity of dental fluorosis in communities with documented high fluoride groundwater in Potiskum and Nguru Local Government Areas, Yobe State, North East Nigeria. A cross-sectional clinical study was conducted among 280 children aged 8 to 15 years who had spent their formative years in the study area. Fluorosis severity was recorded using the Thylstrup-Fejerskov Index and Dean's fluorosis index. Water fluoride concentration from borehole sources used by participants was measured. Results showed fluorosis prevalence of 71.4 percent across the two LGAs. Thylstrup-Fejerskov scores of 3 and above, indicating moderate to severe fluorosis, were found in 38.2 percent of affected children. The mean water fluoride concentration was 3.8 mg/L in Nguru, significantly exceeding the WHO guideline of 1.5 mg/L. All children from communities using borehole water with fluoride above 3.0 mg/L showed visible fluorosis. Aesthetic impact caused social concern among 42.7 percent of parents. Skeletal fluorosis symptoms were absent in the assessed age group. Recommendations include community education on fluorosis, defluoridation of high-fluoride water sources, and collaboration between Yobe State Government and the National Water Resources Institute to establish safe water provision in affected communities.

Keywords: dental fluorosis, Thylstrup-Fejerskov Index, fluoride, groundwater, Yobe State