Objetivou-se validar o Child's and Parent's Questionnaire about Teeth Appearance, avaliando as preocupações relacionadas à fluorose em 213 pares de pais/crianças (12 anos) de duas regiões brasileiras. A confiabilidade foi avaliada pelo alfa de Cronbach e pelo coeficiente de correlação intraclasse; e a validade de constructo e de critério, pela correlação de Spearman. Para comparar as duas regiões e avaliar a concordância pais/filhos, foi utilizado o teste t de Student. A consistência interna foi aceitável, e a confiabilidade teste-reteste, moderada a excelente. Houve correlação significativa entre percepção da fluorose moderada e severa e os dados clínicos e entre percepção da fluorose e preocupações dos indivíduos. Embora os pais de Rafael Arruda, Ceará, Brasil, tenham tido maior percepção da fluorose, o incômodo e a preocupação com a aparência foram maiores em Piracicaba, São Paulo. Os pais se mostraram mais incomodados, preocupados e insatisfeitos com a aparência dentária das crianças do que elas mesmas. Essa versão é válida e confiável para avaliar a percepção da estética dentária em crianças e em seus pais.

This study aimed to validate the Child's and Parent's Questionnaire about Teeth Appearance and to evaluate concerns relative to fluorosis among 213 pairs of parents and 12-year-old children from two regions of Brazil. Reliability was assessed by Cronbach's alpha and intraclass correlation coefficient, and construct and criterion validity by Spearman's correlations. Student t-test was used to compare the two regions and to assess parent/child agreement. Internal consistency was acceptable, and test-retest reliability was moderate to excellent. Perception of moderate to severe fluorosis and clinical data were significantly correlated, as were perception of fluorosis and subjects' concerns. Although parents from Rafael Arruda, Ceará State, showed a higher perception of fluorosis, parental concern was greater in Piracicaba, São Paulo State. Parents were more worried and dissatisfied with their children's dental appearance than the children themselves. This version of the questionnaire proved to be valid and reliable for assessing children's and parents' perceptions of dental fluorosis.

Objetivou-se validar o Child's and Parent's Questionnaire about Teeth Appearance, avaliando as preocupações relacionadas à fluorose em 213 pares de pais/crianças (12 anos) de duas regiões brasileiras. A confiabilidade foi avaliada pelo alfa de Cronbach e pelo coeficiente de correlação intraclasse; e a validade de constructo e de critério, pela correlação de Spearman. Para comparar as duas regiões e avaliar a concordância pais/filhos, foi utilizado o teste t de Student. A consistência interna foi aceitável, e a confiabilidade teste-reteste, moderada a excelente. Houve correlação significativa entre percepção da fluorose moderada e severa e os dados clínicos e entre percepção da fluorose e preocupações dos indivíduos. Embora os pais de Rafael Arruda, Ceará, Brasil, tenham tido maior percepção da fluorose, o incômodo e a preocupação com a aparência foram maiores em Piracicaba, São Paulo. Os pais se mostraram mais incomodados, preocupados e insatisfeitos com a aparência dentária das crianças do que elas mesmas. Essa versão é válida e confiável para avaliar a percepção da estética dentária em crianças e em seus pais.

This study aimed to validate the Child's and Parent's Questionnaire about Teeth Appearance and to evaluate concerns relative to fluorosis among 213 pairs of parents and 12-year-old children from two regions of Brazil. Reliability was assessed by Cronbach's alpha and intraclass correlation coefficient, and construct and criterion validity by Spearman's correlations. Student t-test was used to compare the two regions and to assess parent/child agreement. Internal consistency was acceptable, and test-retest reliability was moderate to excellent. Perception of moderate to severe fluorosis and clinical data were significantly correlated, as were perception of fluorosis and subjects' concerns. Although parents from Rafael Arruda, Ceará State, showed a higher perception of fluorosis, parental concern was greater in Piracicaba, São Paulo State. Parents were more worried and dissatisfied with their children's dental appearance than the children themselves. This version of the questionnaire proved to be valid and reliable for assessing children's and parents' perceptions of dental fluorosis.

OBJECTIVE: There has been a worrisome increase in the prevalence of dental fluorosis worldwide. The objective of this study was to review research on dental fluorosis prevalence in Mexico in order to assess if that prevalence is rising and if dental fluorosis constitutes a public health problem for the country. METHODS: Clinical, experimental, and review reports were searched for in a number of bibliographic databases for scientific literature, using the search phrase "fluorosis and Mexico." All the materials that were initially identified had to satisfy eight specific criteria in order to be included in our study. RESULTS: Of the 24 publications that the literature search yielded, 14 satisfied all the inclusion criteria. The prevalence of dental fluorosis reported in Mexico ranged from 30% to 100% in areas where water is naturally fluoridated and from 52% to 82% in areas where fluoridated salt is used. Most of the 14 studies were conducted in areas where water fluoride levels were above optimal, and the fluorosis cases reported in these publications ranged from "mild" to "severe." There have been only a small number of reports on dental fluorosis since the introduction of fluoridated salt in the country in 1991. However, some of those studies have shown that the prevalence of fluorosis was higher than what would be expected given the historical data from communities with optimal fluoridation in other countries. CONCLUSION: Due to the limited amount of information, it is not possible to determine if the prevalence of dental fluorosis in Mexico is rising or if it constitutes a public health problem. To objectively answer these questions more controlled studies are needed in areas where fluoridated salt is distributed, where water fluoride is above optimal, and where residents live at a high altitude.

OBJETIVOS: La prevalencia de fluorosis dental ha aumentado de forma alarmante en todo el mundo. El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar las investigaciones publicadas sobre la prevalencia de fluorosis dental en México, a fin de valorar si hay un aumento de esta prevalencia y si la fluorosis dental constituye un problema de salud pública en el país. MÉTODOS: Se examinaron los artículos de corte clínico, experimental y de revisión publicados en varias bases de datos bibliográficas dedicadas a la literatura científica, utilizando "fluorosis y Mexico" para hacer la búsqueda. Para incluirse en el estudio, los materiales identificados tenían que satisfacer ocho criterios específicos adicionales. RESULTADOS: De los 24 artículos identificados en la búsqueda bibliográfica, 14 cumplieron todos los criterios de inclusión. La prevalencia de fluorosis dental informada para México fue de 30 a 100% en zonas donde el agua era fluorada de manera natural y de 52 a 82% en zonas donde se consumía sal fluorada. La mayoría de los 14 estudios se realizaron en áreas donde el nivel de fluoruros en el agua era superior al óptimo y los casos de fluorosis informados en esos artículos se clasificaron entre "moderados" y "graves". Desde que se introdujo la fluoración de la sal en México en 1991 se han informado muy pocos casos de fluorosis dental. Sin embargo, en algunos de estos estudios se encontraron prevalencias mayores que las esperadas, si se tienen en cuenta los datos históricos de comunidades con fluoración óptima en otros países. CONCLUSIÓN: Debido a lo limitado de la información no es posible determinar si hay un aumento de la prevalencia de fluorosis dental en México o si esta afección constituye un problema de salud pública. Para responder objetivamente a estas interrogantes se requieren estudios más controlados en zonas donde se distribuya sal fluorada, donde los niveles de fluoruros en el agua sean superiores al óptimo y en poblaciones situadas a mayor altura sobre el nivel del mar.