[The status of the teeth and periodontal tissues of children living in an area polluted by the wastes from an aluminum plant].

The author compares dental, periodontal, and bone system status of children living in two regions characterized by different degrees and patterns of environmental pollution. Children living in regions polluted by aluminum plant waste (sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, dust, hydrogen fluoride) developed specific abnormalities because of body poisoning with fluorides, namely, dental fluorosis, osteoporosis and osteosclerosis of the bones; periodontal diseases in these children were more incident than in controls. These findings prompted the development of a complex of sanitary, technologic, health, therapeutic and prophylactic measures aimed at reduction of fluorine levels in the environment to the normal level and of dental diseases incidence among children living near the Tajik aluminum plant.