Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39525927›Full record

ArticleThe Saudi dental journal2024

Content of cariostatic trace elements (F, Cu, and Zn) in the commercially packaged and public tap waters of Qatar.

Hissa Al-Ansari, Hend Al-Qashouti, Roudha Al-Neama, Aisha Al-Moadhadi, Hani Nazzal, Nebu Philip

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The Saudi dental journal, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Children's drinking water sources in the state of Qatar: parental preferences and knowledge of its fluoride content.European archives of paediatric dentistry : official journal of the European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry · 2026
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Hissa Al-AnsariCollege of Dental Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.
Hend Al-QashoutiCollege of Dental Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.
Roudha Al-NeamaCollege of Dental Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.
Aisha Al-MoadhadiCollege of Dental Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.
Hani NazzalCollege of Dental Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.
Nebu PhilipCollege of Dental Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Objectives: Drinking water containing optimal levels of cariostatic trace elements is an effective preventive approach against community-wide dental caries. This study aimed to (i) determine the concentrations of fluoride, copper, and zinc in commercially packaged and public tap water available in Qatar, (ii) assess the accuracy of the content of these cariostatic trace elements on commercial water brand labels, and (iii) check for seasonal fluctuations in the levels of these trace elements in commercial and public water samples. Methods: Duplicate samples from 20 commercial and six public tap water sources were collected once in the summer and winter seasons. Water samples were evaluated for fluoride concentration using ion chromatography (IC), whereas copper and zinc concentrations were estimated using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Results: The fluoride content of all commercial and public water samples was below the 0.25 mg/L detection limit of the IC instrument. Commercial water brands had copper and zinc levels below the ICP-MS detection limits (1.22 μg/L for copper and 0.24 μg/L for zinc). Copper levels in the public water samples ranged from <1.22 μg/L to 11 μg/L. Zinc levels in the public water samples ranged from 5 μg/L to 40 μg/L. Thirteen commercial water brands labelled their fluoride content, with most showing labelled fluoride levels <0.1 mg/L, consistent with the results of this study. The difference in trace element content between the summer and winter water samples was not statistically significant ( Conclusions: Lower optimal cariostatic trace element content in the drinking water in Qatar could be a reason for the exceptionally high prevalence of dental caries. The results of this study could lead to public health advocacy for supplementing drinking water in Qatar with cariostatic trace elements that could potentially lower the prevalence of dental caries.

Indexed as

Cariostatic trace elementsCopperDental cariesFluorideZinc

Identifiers

PMID39525927
PMCPMC11544180

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.