الفهرس 
The Impact of Socio-Cultural Aspects of Dental Fluorosis As an Environmental Factor on Oral Health Related Quality of Life “A Comparative Study between a Sample of Egyptian and Sudanese Children”
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Abstract
Introduction: Dental fluorosis is an oral condition caused by the excessive
ingestion of fluoride ions present mainly in drinking water. High fluoride level in
drinking water may cause skeletal symptoms as pain in neck, pain in joints and
shoulders and may cause stiffness in joints in severe cases that may affect the
individual’s quality of life. Studying other socio-economic factors will add value
to the quality of life.
Objectives: 1- Assess dental fluorosis prevalence and severity and its associated
skeletal symptoms among Egyptian and Sudanese origins’ children via clinical
examination, 2-Study the environmental aspects of dental and skeletal fluorosis
by measuring fluoride level through water analysis, 3- Evaluate the socio-cultural
aspects of dental fluorosis through a Socio-economic status (S.E.S.) questionnaire
and, 4- Estimating the effect of dental fluorosis on the quality of life through an
oral health related quality of life questionnaire (OHQoL).
Subject and method: The current study was performed on children with age
range 7-14 years in two regions; Wadi El Alaki in southern Egypt on children with
Sudanese origins’ (group I) and Sarabit El Khadem on Egyptian children (group
II) in south Sinai in Egypt with representative samples of population 202 and 511
respectively. Water samples were collected from both regions and analyzed in the
National Research Centre - Advisory Unit for Virus Research and Biological
Testing to detect fluoride level in drinking water. Subjects were examined
clinically for Dental fluorosis under day light using modified Dean’s Index.
Quality of life was evaluated using Oral Health related Quality of Life
questionnaire and the socio-demographic characteristics of children parents were
evaluated too.
Results: it was found that mean fluoride level of water in Wadi El Alaki was 8
mg/L while mean fluoride level in Sarabit El Khadem was 1.4 mg/L. Fluoride
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status in group I was 2.31 while, in group II it was 1.16. Regarding skeletal
examination, it was found that, there is significant difference between group I &
II except in NO/YES answers of (tingling sensation/ joint pain/ shoulder pain/
neck pain/ bowed legs/ pain in limbs/ can’t cross legs). Regarding the OHQoL
questionnaire, significant difference in all questions, “Never” answer was
significantly the highest in all question, while nobody selected ‘very often”
answer while in group II, showed significant difference in all questions, “Never”
answer was significantly the highest in all question, while nobody selected “very
often” answer. Concerning the S.E.S. questionnaire, group I was 100% illiterate,
70% unemployed, 100% lived in houses not bought by them. They had primitive
occupations; 40% worked as drivers, 19.8% as farmers while 40% as shepherds.
While, group II was only 20% illiterate, 62.6% joined elementary school & 16.6%
joined technical school training. 74% in group II were employed, 100% lived in
homes bought &built by them. They had better occupation than group I; as drivers,
clerks, and few owned safari campus and 20% of females worked in hand spinning
work to earn income for their families