Flouride Concentration of drinking water and its association with intelligence quotient among 12-15 years old Government school children in Belagavi District.A cross sectional study..

Abstract

Introduction: Fluoride, as an essential trace element in the body, can help prevent dental caries and is favourable to bone metabolism. Long-term exposure to fluoride increases the risk of dental and skeletal fluorosis. It also impedes neural development, by affecting gene and protein expression and enzyme activity. According to some research, fluoride can cause changes in the physical structure and biochemistry of the brain, affecting children's mental development during cognitive functions such as learning and memory, particularly during the foetal period and the first eight years of life Aim of the study: To assess the relationship between water fluoride level and IQ of 12-15 years old Government school children residing in areas with different concentration of fluoride in drinking water in Belagavi district, Karnataka.