Objective: To find the pathways for coal-burning fluorosis and the main difference between severe fluorosis area and non-fluorosis area in southwest China.
Methods: The teeth health condition and diet structure of a total of 405 children and 14 adults were investigated by Dean's method recommended by WHO and questionnaire.
Results: There was evident difference in diet structure between dental fluorosis patients and healthy population. The dental fluorosis prevalence rates of population living on corn roasted with open oven rapidly before the age of 6, even if lived in monitoring spots of improved oven for defluorination, in which the fluoride concentration of indoor air had meet the Chinese National Standard, was 100%, and most were in moderate to severe stages. The dental fluorosis prevalence rates of population living on non-roasted corn or rice was very low, most of which were in very mild stages.
Conclusions: Living on roasted foodstuffs is the main pathologic cause of endemic fluorosis of population in southwest China.