The Chhattisgarh government has provided medical facilities to facilitate screening and treatment of fluorosis, which is reported the most in Raipur, Mahasamund, Baloda, Korea, Korba and Kondagaon districts.
The facilities are available in district hospitals as well as community and primary health centres.
State Fluorosis Control Programme Nodal Officer Dr. Shailendra Agrawal said high fluoride content leads to yellowing and premature loss of teeth, deformity and curvature of body bones.
He said symptoms include discoloration of teeth, pain in muscles and joints, twisting of arms and legs forward or backward, inability to walk for long distances, abdominal pain and flatulence.
Fluorosis is caused by drinking high fluoridated water or food grains irrigated with high fluoridated water.
The amount of fluoride in drinking water should be one ppm. Consumption of fluoride in excess of this is injurious to health, he said.
The problem of fluorosis is more in the seven districts of Raipur, Mahasamund, Balod, Korea, Kanker, Korba and Kondagaon.
Laboratories for testing fluorosis have been established in Balod, Kondagaon, Korba, Kanker, Raipur, Mahasamund, Balodabazar, Bastar, Gariyaband, Surguja, Surajpur and Balrampur, he added.
He said regular monitoring is done in the villages. Under the National Child Health Programme, fluorosis is also being checked among school students.
