Fluoridation of public water supply is a very efficient method, but to be effective, it has to
happen continuously and uninterrupted, within the norms and standard of potability. The
objective of this study was to evaluate if the amount of fluoride used in public water supply
in the 10 most populous towns of Tocantins, with more than 20 thousand inhabitants, are
within the norms established by ordinances and technical consensus related to the subject.
The municipalities of Palmas, Porto Nacional, Paraiso do Tocantins, Tocantinópolis, Gurupi,
Guaraí, Dianópolis, Colinas do Tocantins, Araguaína and Araguatins were surveyed for 3
months between May and August 2017. A questionnaire was prepared for to evaluate the
process of water those responsible for water control in the state of Tocantins answered
fluoridation. In addition, water samples were collected monthly at various points in the cities,
containing samples from all municipal water treatment plants. The samples were analyzed
by external laboratory and the laboratory analysis of the fluorine ion was performed by the
electrometric method. It was observed that 80.2% of the analyzed samples were inadequate,
where 8 out of 10 samples were not in the appropriate standard of lower risk of dental
fluorosis and greater protection against dental caries. In addition, it was concluded that the
state has no specific legislation on the subject, even local temperature oscillating at such
peculiar values. These data demonstrate the need to establish a state regulation of
fluoridation and a program of heterocontrol in the cities surveyed, in order to guarantee to
the population the benefits of fluoride in the control and prevention of dental caries and to
avoid diseases such as dental fluorosis.
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