Longitudinal Study of Fluoride and Other Factors Related to Dental Fluorosis, Dental Caries, and Bone Health

This project is a combination of the Iowa Fluoride Study and the Iowa Bone Development Study from 1992 - 2019. The Iowa Fluoride Study (IFS) began in 1992 with recruitment of 1,882 mothers of newborns from eight Iowa hospital post-partum wards from March 1992 to February 1995. The focus of the IFS was to collect detailed fluoride, general dietary intake, and other data several times per year from age 6 weeks on and relate them to dental fluorosis and dental caries (cavities). Data collection occurred 3-5 times per year initially, and then twice per year after ~ age 4. Dental exams of the primary (baby) teeth were initiated at ~ age 5.

The Iowa Bone Development Study (IBDS) grew out of the IFS in 1998 when we added a "normal bone development" focus, and soon after the age 5 dental exams, we began to collect genetic samples and accelerometry (motion sensor) data. All then-active parents of IFS-participating children were invited to have their child join the IBDS, and the majority agreed to do so. The majority of participating children received both ~ age 5 dental exams and bone densitometry assessments. The bone densitometry at age 5 was determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) of the hip, lumbar spine, and whole body.

Dental exams for caries and fluorosis were performed again at age 8-9, along with DXA bone scans and accelerometry. DXA scans and accelerometry were performed again at ages 11 and 15 years, along with peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) scans of the distal tibia and radius, but no dental exams were performed.

At ages 13 and 17, dental exams, DXA and pQCT scans, as well as accelerometry, were obtained.

At age 19, no dental exams were conducted, but repeat DXA and pQCT scans and accelerometry were obtained, along with multi-slice detector CT (MDCT) of the distal tibia.

At age 23, we conducted the final wave of exams, which included dental, DXA, pQCT, MDCT, and accelerometry assessments.

In addition, parents were invited to participate once with DXA bone scans and to also provide limited questionnaire data about their own fluoride and dietary exposures and physical activity.

Note: Please refer to the document Iowa Fluoride Study/Iowa Bone Development Study (IFS/IBDS) - dbGaP Data Tables: A User's Guide - Version 2.0 for a detailed reference manual on all of the clinical data submitted for this project.

Note: No genetic data or specimens were submitted with this study. However, many of the child/parent participants in the study were genotyped. These genotyping data are linked to dbGaP Study Accession: phs000095 under Dr. Mary Marazita: "Dental Caries: Whole Genome Association and Gene X Environment Studies".

Type: Cohort