Concentration of Fluoride in Drinking Water of Certain Areas of Lahore and Its Relationship to the Severity of Fluorosis

Fluoride contaminated drinking water is a global problem affecting more than 25 nations and over 200 million people globally. The present study was aimed to determine the fluoride concentration in the drinking water of certain areas of Lahore (Manga Mandi, Ali Razaabad, Nawab town, Patoki, Multan road, Judicial colony, Dubai town, Mustafa town) and its relationship to dental fluorosis. A total of 300 patients with dental fluorosis were seen and dental fluorosis was observed using Dean’s index. Forty eight samples of drinking water from the patients presenting clinical dental fluorosis were collected randomly. Fluoride concentration in the drinking water was determined through the courtesy of Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) using SPADNS method and fluorosis was determined by using Dean’s index. The results show that all the patients with dental fluorosis were living in areas where fluoride concentration in drinking water ranged from 0.27 ppm to 7.4 ppm. It was concluded that dental fluorosis seen in patients was directly proportional to the fluoride concentration in their drinking water. This indicates that dental fluorosis is the result of high fluoride in the body and it can affect teeth, bones as well as other tissues resulting in serious illness. It should be taken seriously by the concerned authorities to save humanity from the detrimental effects of fluoride. Serious measures are needed for providing clean drinking water to inhabitants of the area.