[Multiple aspects of the use of fluorine in public health from the viewpoint of healthcare leaders]

[Fluoride levels in springs and water sources and in the public supply networks of municipalities in the State of Pernambuco, Brazil]

Fluoridation is considered an effective and wide-ranging measure in combatting dental caries. Despite being mandatory in Brazil since 1974, the implementation continues to be unequal throughout the country. The objective was to describe and analyze fluorine levels in the waters of the public supply grid of the 2nd macro region of the state of Pernambuco in municipalities with 50,000 inhabitants or more. This is a descriptive study based on a comparison of data from Pernambuco Sanitation Company (Compesa), the Vigifluor Project, the Water Quality Surveillance Information System for Human Consumption (Sisagua) the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) and the National Sanitation Information System (SNIS), on the fluoridation of water in municipalities of the 2nd health macro region of Pernambuco. Although the municipalities studied do not have artificial fluoridation, significant levels of natural fluorine were found in the sources that supply the regions. However, these levels of fluorine do not remain constant in the waters of the supply network of the municipalities studied, therefore there is no effective prevention against caries. Artificial fluoridation is an effective measure in preventing caries and should therefore be expanded in regions that are not yet fluoridated.

Water fluoridation in the ten largest municipalities of the state of Tocantins, Brazil

Water fluoridation is a strategy for caries control recommended by the WHO. In Brazil, it is regulated by law but this program has not been successfully implemented in the North region. This research aimed to collect data on the existence of external control (heterocontrol) in the ten largest municipalities in the state of Tocantins, Brazil, and to analyze fluoride concentration in the public water supply of these cities. The study was conducted from May-August/17, and its theoretical-methodological framework was a quantitative, descriptive and cross-sectional analysis. Water collections were carried out monthly, using sampling protocol of water collection of the network. Fluoride concentration in the waters was determined with ion specific electrode by the direct technique. It was verified that water fluoridation monitoring is only been done in Palmas, capital of the state, starting in 2016. Thirty-two percent of waters samples analyzed showed fluoride concentration to obtain the maximum benefit of reduction caries and 27.5% of them presented a high or very high risk of dental fluorosis. It is necessary to implement a program to control the concentration of fluoride in the water of the municipalities of Tocantins, in order to ensure that the population is not deprived of the anticaries' benefits of the adjustment of fluoride concentration of the treated water.

Nível de fluoretação na água de abastecimento de Passo Fundo

A fluoretação da água de abastecimento é uma das principais medidas preventivas de saúde pública para controle de cárie dentária. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi conhecer o nível de fluoretação da água de abastecimento da cidade de Passo Fundo. O presente trabalho possui uma abordagem quantitativa, cujo delineamento foi transversal e teve como objetivo verificar os níveis de fluoretação da água de abastecimento da cidade de Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Os dados foram coletados de relatórios públicos da Corsan, constando os valores mínimos, máximos e médios de flúor na água, nos anos de 2014 e 2015 totalizando 72 amostras. As avaliações consideradas inadequadas não ultrapassaram 5% do total de análises realizadas. Concluindo que a média da concentração de flúor apresentou-se de acordo com a legislação vigente durante os dois anos pesquisados.