Prevalencia de la fluorosis dental, opacidad e hipoplasia del esmalte en niños en edad escolar del municipio Libertador del estado Mérida, Venezuela

Abstract

Objective: To determine the dental fluorosis frequency, enamel's opacity and hypoplasia in school kids from six to twelve years old of primary schools, bolivarianas' schools and educationals units of the Antonio Spinetti Dini parish, Libertador municipality of Merida state, Venezuela. Methodology: A descriptive essay realized of transversal design. The sample was compounded of 340 kids between six and twelve year old. The studied variables were dental fluorosis, enamel's opacity and hypoplasia, using dean's index and the enamel defect index (EDI) modified, according to health world organization (OMS) methodology. Results: 88% of studied population didn't present dental fluorosis, but it 12% of them presented, with prevalence of uncertain and very mild fluorosis (4.4% and 4.4% for each one). 84.7% of population didn't present defects with the enamel's development, in contrast to 15.3% who presented a prevalence of delimited and diffuse opacities (6.2% and 5.8% each one). Conclusions: The highest percentage of participants did not show either dental fluorosis or alterations in enamel development. Just a small percentage of children presented doubtful and very mild fluorosis as well as both delimited and diffuse opacities.