Research progress on brick-tea type fluorosis in Tibet Plateau / 预防医学

ABSTRACT

Abstract@#Tibet Plateau is one of the most prevalent areas of brick-tea type fluorosis in China. Effective management of brick-tea type fluorosis is a key point and a difficulty in endemic disease prevention and treatment in Tibet. Brick-tea type fluorosis is a human health concern that occurs under specific natural environments and social humanistic conditions in Tibet. Recently, the prevalence of brick-tea type fluorosis has been effectively reduced in the Tibet Plateau; however, there are still challenges for the overall brick-tea type fluorosis control, and the endemic status remains more severe than other regions endemic for brick-tea type fluorosis in China. Previous studies have shown that intake of high-fluoride brick-tea, dietary habits of drinking tea and specific natural environments are strongly associated with brick-tea type fluorosis in the Tibet Plateau. This review summarizes the advances in the epidemiological characteristics and influencing factors of brick-tea type fluorosis, so as to provide insights into the development of the long-term control strategy for brick-tea type fluorosis in the Tibet Plateau.