Fluoride and dental age.

The dental ages of 1286 (674 males and 612 females) Egyptian children born and grown up in a community with naturally occurring overfluoride ions in the drinking water (more than the optimal level) in Matrouh Governorate, were compared with the Egyptian standards of the fluoride deficient area of the same socioeconomic level. The age ranged from 8 years to 14 years and 6 months. The results of the present study revealed that the communal water supply with a fluoride ions concentration more than optimal level has no long term effect on the dental age, as judged from the tooth emergence of the growing children.