Fluorosis
Fluorosis is one of the most common dental diseases in which there is a direct lesion of the tooth enamel. The disease has a close connection with the excessive intake of fluoride into the human body. Fluorosis can be classified as a disease characteristic of certain professions or characteristic of certain natural areas (endemic distribution).
The disease is characterized by a long course, during which whitish stripes first appear on the enamel surface, which then turn yellow, the enamel becomes more spotted.
In severe clinical cases, the enamel is damaged not only at the cosmetic level, but is also affected to such an extent that the patient has serious problems with teeth, eating, etc.
CAUSES OF FLUOROSIS
As mentioned earlier, the main reason for the development of this disease is the increased use of fluoride. For a long time, the causes of the disease have not been studied and known, and the disease itself had a rather primitive name – spotted disease. It was only in 1931 that a key moment was discovered that disposed to the development of the disease.
Thus, there are professional causes of the disease and endemic. Drinking water containing more than 1 mg of fluoride per 1 liter is considered unsafe, since the body cannot assimilate such large volumes of this substance.
TYPES OF FLUOROSIS
as it has already turned out, only two reasons can cause fluorosis – the endemic location of a person and the peculiarities of his profession. In this regard, there are only two corresponding types of fluorosis.
However, there are several forms of the disease, guided by the visual manifestation:
Destructive form
Chalky-speckled shape
Spotted form
Dashed form
Erosive form
The listed forms of the disease can also be divided into groups according to severity. Thus, the mild degree of the disease is considered to be streaked and spotted fluorosis, chalky-speckled refers to moderate severity, severe forms are erosive and destructive fluorosis.
Dentists claim that one patient may have several forms of dental damage – different groups may have different degrees of damage.
SYMPTOMS OF FLUOROSIS
The disease appears gradually with the appearance of whitish spots on the teeth from the outside of the teeth (buccal surface). In addition to the cosmetic symptom, nothing else bothers the patient.
Over time, pigment accumulates in the spots, they become more noticeable – turn yellow, darken, up to a dark brown color. The spots are most often localized on the upper teeth, less often on the lower ones. With intensive damage to the teeth with fluoride, further damage and destruction of the enamel of the teeth develops. Teeth become more brittle, chips, cracks and visible defects of tooth enamel in the form of erosions may appear.
This is how endemic fluorosis develops. Professional fluorosis is accompanied by damage to the entire body, in particular, damage to the bones of the skeleton (the development of fluorotic osteoporosis). Impaired joint mobility, as well as damage to the hepatobiliary system.
TREATMENT OF FLUOROSIS
First of all, it is worth eating water, which contains the optimal amount of fluoride. You should also give up fluoride-containing toothpastes. Affected teeth should be sanitized. With the development of erosions and areas of the tooth surface without enamel, restoration and filling of teeth is carried out. In difficult cases, they resort to dental veneers or even the installation of crowns. Mild forms of the disease are easily amenable to cosmetic treatment – chemical or laser teeth whitening.
