Background: Dental caries remains highly prevalent among children in rural regions of Kyrgyzstan, where drinking water contains low fluoride levels. The Uzgen district of Osh region is characterized by fluoride deficiency, which may contribute to the increasing burden of dental disease. The Kara-Shoro mineral spring contains naturally high concentrations of ionic fluoride and was evaluated as a potential component of a comprehensive caries-prevention program. Objectives: To assess the baseline oral health status of schoolchildren in three rural villages and to evaluate the effectiveness of endogenous use of Kara-Shoro mineral water as part of a multi-component caries-prevention program. Materials and Methods: A total of 740 schoolchildren from On-Besh Zhash, Ak-Terek and Salamalik villages underwent preventive dental examinations. Drinking-water fluoride concentrations were determined in each village. A prospective study was carried out among 120 children aged 7–16 years, assigned to intervention and control groups. The intervention included health education, therapeutic care, professional hygiene and daily endogenous intake of Kara-Shoro mineral water (130 ml/day) for three years. Outcomes assessed included caries intensity (KPI/kpi), permanent-surface caries indices (CPUp), oral hygiene index (GI), enamel remineralization time, and enamel solubility. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 13.0. Results: Rehabilitation needs were high across all villages (75–80 percent), and fluoride levels in drinking water ranged from 0.216 to 0.287 mg/L. In the intervention group, caries intensity decreased from 3.00 ± 0.27 to 1.62 ± 0.19 over three years, while the control group showed an increase from 3.32 ± 0.44 to 4.53 ± 0.38. Oral hygiene improved significantly in the intervention group (GI from 2.83 ± 0.05 to 1.74 ± 0.10), with only minor changes in controls. Enamel remineralization time decreased to 2.12 ± 0.19 days in the intervention group compared with 4.28 ± 0.36 days in controls. Enamel solubility declined by more than half among children receiving mineral water, while no improvement was observed in the control group. Conclusion: Children in the Uzgen district demonstrate a high burden of dental caries associated with low environmental fluoride exposure. Endogenous use of Kara-Shoro mineral water, integrated into a comprehensive preventive program, improved oral hygiene, enhanced enamel resistance and significantly reduced caries intensity over three years. The findings support the inclusion of naturally fluoridated mineral water as a feasible preventive measure in fluoride-deficient regions...
Keywords: Dental caries; Fluoride deficiency; Kara-Shoro mineral water; Children; Prevention; Enamel remineralization; Oral hygiene
How to cite this article:Eshiev AM, Eshiev DA, Taalaibekov NT, Toktombaev MA, Azimbaev NM., Comparative Evaluation of Kara-Shoro Mineral Water and Its Influence on Dental Hard Tissue Integrity: A Community-Based Intervention Study...Int J Drug Deliv Technol. 2026;16(1s): 1273-1277; DOI: 10.25258/ijddt.16. 1273-1277