{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,23]],"date-time":"2026-09-23T13:59:24Z","timestamp":1790171964622,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":20,"publisher":"Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,1]],"date-time":"2026-07-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1782864000000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-nd\/4.0"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["lww.com","ovid.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,7]]},"abstract":"Abstract<\/jats:title>\n \n Background:<\/jats:title>\n Fluoride, while protective against dental caries at optimal levels, can cause fluorosis at higher concentrations. Limited data on fluoride levels and related dental health issues in Coimbatore necessitated this study.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Aim:<\/jats:title>\n The present study aimed to estimate fluoride concentrations in drinking water and the prevalence of dental caries and fluorosis in Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Materials and Methods:<\/jats:title>\n Fluoride concentration was assessed in 100 randomly selected drinking water sources across five zones of Coimbatore using the color comparator technique. A total of 933 residents were examined for dental caries (Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth (DMFT) index) and fluorosis (Dean\u2019s Fluorosis Index).<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Statistical Analysis:<\/jats:title>\n \n Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21.0 (IBM Corp., USA). Descriptive statistics and Spearman\u2019s correlation test was used and\n P<\/jats:italic>\n < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Results:<\/jats:title>\n Corporation-supplied water was the main drinking source in Coimbatore. The mean fluoride concentration was 0.48 parts per million (ppm). Dental caries prevalence was 65%, while dental fluorosis was observed in 4% of the population.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Conclusion:<\/jats:title>\n Suboptimal fluoride levels in drinking water may contribute to the high prevalence of dental caries. Water fluoridation is recommended to improve oral health in Coimbatore.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.4103\/ijoem.ijoem_120_25","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,23]],"date-time":"2026-09-23T07:01:34Z","timestamp":1790146894000},"page":"215-219","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1097\/lww.0000000000001000","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Prevalence of Dental Fluorosis and Dental Caries in Relation to Fluoride Levels in Drinking Water among Residents of Coimbatore District, Tamil Nadu, India: A Cross-Sectional Study"],"prefix":"10.4103","volume":"30","author":[{"given":"Nathiya","family":"Shanmugam","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmacology, KMCH Institute of Health Sciences and Research, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"V.S.","family":"Mitthrashree","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"FDS Pedodontics, Saveetha Dental College and Hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Preethi","family":"Umanath","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Anatomy, KMCH Institute of Health Sciences and Research, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sathiya A. 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