Dental fluorosis in Ledhupur and Rustampur villages near Varanasi.

A survey was canted oat in two villages near Varanasi covering 2159 subjects. Dental mottling was observed in 24-91 per cent of the subjects but no case of skeletal fluorosis was detected. The prevalence of dental fluorosis was low in children below 5 yr of age but it sharply increased thereafter to a mn*imnm prevalence in the 11 to 15 yr age group. Among individuals beyond that age, there was gradual decline In prevalence. In general, the prevalence was higher among males than among females and In those who were residing in the study area since birth than in the immigrants. The fluoride level of the drinking water collected from the wells ranged from 02 to 2-1 ppm (mean 09^0-38 ppm). A positive association between dental fluorosis and fluoride concentration in drinking water was noted.