Razi Journal of Medical Sciences

Background: Considering the importance of examining the effects of fluorine and its compounds on aluminum industry workers, this study aimed to compare the signs of dental fluorosis between the workers of one of the aluminum factories and one of the industrial equipment construction companies of Markazi province in Iran.

Methods: This descriptive study was performed on 351 workers of one of the aluminum factories of Markazi province (company A) and 220 workers of one of the industrial equipment construction companies of the same province in Iran (company B). The teeth of all the subjects were examined. Workers in company B were considered as the control group. Data were entered into SPSS software 13 and analyzed by using appropriate method analysis.

Results: We found a significant relationship between the occurrence of dental fluorosis and age and work experience. The rates of dental fluorosis were 34.47% and 17.27% in the company A and company B, respectively. The findings showed that there was a significant difference between the company A and company B regarding the prevalence of dental fluorosis (p>0.05). The most common dental sign in workers of company A was perikymata, while tooth discoloration was most frequently observed in the company B.

Conclusion: Our study revealed that the prevalence of dental fluorosis in aluminum factory was higher than industrial equipment construction company, which exacerbated with increasing age and working history. Oral health training and the use of safety equipment in the workplace are of great significance for workers exposed to fluorine and its compounds.