Enamel defects seen among children residing near uranium mines . A case control study

Introduction:Uranium in drinking water and food is known to cause many medical problems. Several studies have been conducted to enquire about the health of people around limestone, coal etc mining areas. But little has been known about the people around uranium mines. Hence this study was done to evaluate the enamel defects present among the children residing near uranium mines in the Gogi Village of Yadgir district in Karnataka. Methodology:100 School children residing in Gogi village aged 6-12 who are exposed to uranium was categorised as the subjects of experimental group. Individuals beyond the age of 20 residing in the same area were taken as the control group. Enamel defects of deciduous teeth was recorded using developmental defects of enamel (DDE) index. Results:The most frequently seen defect was yellow or brown opacities (41%) followed by discoloration other than opacities (36%).42% of children showed presence of enamel defects in multiple areas of tooth and when distribution of enamel defect was noted, it was found that the most prevalent area of distribution were the gingival and incisal surface (28%). Conclusion: More studies should be conducted in different parts of the world near uranium mines to draw a definite conclusion.