DESIGN AND VALIDATION OF A SAFE FLUORIDATION PROGRAM USING COMMUNITY DENTAL INDEX FOR BHUSAWAL CITY

Bhusawal city having ~275,000 population draws drinking water from the low fluoride Tapi River, so a precision fluoridation system is proposed. A Dean’s Fluorosis Index survey of 70 residents yielded a community fluorosis index (CFI) of ≈1.45 (~1.4), indicating only a mild level of fluorosis concern. Therefore, the project’s primary aim is to raise fluoride to ~0.7 mg/L (ppm) the optimal concentration for cavity prevention while rigorously avoiding over-dosing. Precise dosing hardware chemical metering pumps and static mixers together with real-time feedback from on-line fluoride analyzers will maintain fluoride near 0.7 mg/L and well below safety limits. An alum lime (Nalgonda) defluoridation unit is included as a contingency if raw water fluoride is unexpectedly high. This design aligns with Indian Standard IS 10500:2012, maximizing dental health benefits ∼25% fewer cavities while preventing fluorosis.