Yupin Songpaisan

Community Dental Fluorosis and the Fluoride Content of Saliva and Urine in Thai Children

Abstract Community indices of fluorosis (Fci) and the fluoride (F) concentrations in urine and saliva were assessed in 184 children, aged 11 to 13 years, from Chiangmai Province, Thailand, who had been consuming water containing 0.05 ppm, 0.38 ppm, 0.76 ppm, 1.76 ppm, and 3.09 ppm F, respectively. The mean Fci values and the urinary and salivary F levels increased consistently with increase in F content of the water supply, exhibiting a sigmoid relationship in each instance. An Fci level of 0.4, at which fluorosis is considered insignificant in populations, was reached when the F content in the water was 0.44 ppm; corresponding mean urinary and salivary F concentrations were 0.84 ppm and 33.2 ppb, respectively. These results confirmed the usefulness of urinary and salivary F as short-term indicators of F exposure in small groups of children. The findings also caution against applying existing formulas for determining optimal F levels of water supply in developing and tropical countries without exploring the dietary and nutritional characteristics of the community concerned.

Association between objectively measured chewing ability and frailty: A cross-sectional study in central Thailand: Chewing ability and frailty in Thailand

Limited data are available on the association between oral function and frailty, especially in developing countries. Additionally, the association between objectively assessed chewing function and frailty has not been well studied. The present cross‐sectional study tested the hypothesis that objectively measured poor chewing ability is associated with frailty in community‐dwelling older Thai adults.