School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland.
School of Dentistry, Fiji National University, Fiji.
Aust N Z J Public Health. 2018 Aug;42(4):372-374. doi: 10.1111/1753-6405.12787. Epub 2018 Apr 26.
The main aim of this study was to determine the content of fluoride in drinking water from sources within the sampling areas for the National Oral Health Survey (NOHS) 2011 from the Central, Northern, Western and Eastern Divisions in the Fiji Islands.
Drinking water samples were collected from taps, a waterfall, wells, creeks, streams, springs, rivers, boreholes and rain water tanks in a diverse range of rural and urban areas across the Fiji Islands. A total of 223 areas were sampled between December 2014 and June 2015. Samples were analysed for fluoride using a colorimetric assay with the Zirconyl-SPADNS Reagent. The samples were pre-treated with sodium arsenite solution prior to analysis to eliminate interference from chlorine.
Measured fluoride concentrations ranged from 0.01 to 0.35 ppm, with a mean concentration across all samples of 0.03 + 0.04 ppm. No samples achieved the optimal level for caries prevention (0.7 ppm). The Western Division had the highest fluoride levels compared to the other Divisions. The highest single fluoride concentration was found in Valase. The drinking water for this rural area located in the Western Division is from a borehole. The lowest concentrations of fluoride were in reticulated water samples from rural areas in the Central Division, which were consistently less than those recorded in the Northern, Eastern and Western Divisions.
All samples had fluoride concentrations below the optimum level required to prevent dental caries. Implications for public health: This research forms part of the objectives of the 2011 National Oral Health Survey in Fiji. At present, Fiji lacks water fluoridation and therefore a baseline of the fluoride content in drinking water supplies is essential before water fluoridation is implemented. The results from this study would be beneficial in designing caries-preventive strategies through water fluoridation and for comparing those strategies with caries prevalence overtime.
本研究的主要目的是确定斐济中央、北部、西部和东部各分区 2011 年全国口腔健康调查（NOHS）采样区域内饮用水中的氟化物含量。
本研究于 2014 年 12 月至 2015 年 6 月期间，在斐济各地的农村和城市地区，从水龙头、瀑布、水井、小溪、溪流、泉水、河流、钻孔和雨水箱中采集饮用水样本。共对 223 个地区进行了采样。采用锆基-SPADNS 试剂比色法分析水样中的氟化物。在分析之前，用亚砷酸钠溶液对样品进行预处理，以消除氯的干扰。
测量的氟化物浓度范围为 0.01 至 0.35ppm，所有样本的平均浓度为 0.03+0.04ppm。没有样本达到预防龋齿的最佳水平（0.7ppm）。与其他分区相比，西部分区的氟化物水平最高。最高的单一氟化物浓度出现在瓦拉萨。该农村地区的饮用水来自一口钻孔。中央分区农村地区的管网水样本中氟化物浓度最低，始终低于北部、东部和西部各分区的浓度。
所有样本的氟化物浓度均低于预防龋齿所需的最佳水平。
本研究是斐济 2011 年全国口腔健康调查目标的一部分。目前，斐济缺乏水氟化，因此在实施水氟化之前，必须了解饮用水供应中氟化物的基础含量。本研究的结果将有助于通过水氟化设计龋齿预防策略，并在一段时间内比较这些策略与龋齿流行率的关系。
