Borehole water: Nairobi families complain of fluorosis among children

Monica Achieng, a resident of Komarock in Nairobi, told Wananchi Reporting that her nine-year-old daughter suffers from severe dental discolouration and chipping.

“I recently took her to see a dentist, and was told that this is a common problem in most areas of Nairobi that rely on borehole water,” she said.

Adding that: “Her front teeth are slowly chipping away. She keeps complaining of pain whenever she eats cold, sugary or hot foods. The white part is slowly chipping away. She cannot even brush her teeth because it gets painful,” said Achieng who has been using borehole water since 2012.

The perennial water shortage in Nairobi has forced many landlords to dig boreholes from where they source water for use by the tenants.

Speaking to Wananchi Reporting, Dr. Jane Oloo of Gentle Dental Clinic in Nairobi said that dental fluorosis among children is common in Nairobi – particularly in households that use borehole water.

“Nairobi falls under the Rift Valley stretch and therefore has volcanic soil which is very high in fluoride,” she told Wananchi.

“It is the same situation in areas surrounding Nairobi county like Kiambu, Kajiado and Machakos which have this kind of soil,” she says.

Mary Kiloko, also a resident of Nairobi, said that she uses borehole water to cook, and wash clothes – but often buys drinking water from water shops.

“I used to boil the borehole water thinking it can help reduce the saltiness and the effects, but my children still have dental problems,” says Ms. Kiloko.

According to Dr Oloo, boiling water sourced from borehole does not in any way reduce fluoride levels in water.

“Fluoride is a mineral, and not some bacteria that will die just by boiling the water. Many of my patients from Nairobi only use borehole water to cook. Yet, they suffer decolourisation and mottling. This is because boiling the water does not remove fluoride,” she told Wananchi Reporting.

“I have attended to children from Karen, Kileleshwa and Westlands in general – who suffer from fluorosis. Some of these areas use boreholes to supplement water supplied by the county government, especially now that Nairobi has a water shortage owing to irregular rain patterns,” she says.

But why is fluorosis common among children, especially those born in Nairobi, and not adults.

“Fluorosis will develop in the bones before a child’s teeth actually come out of the mouth. This is why people who came to Nairobi having already developed their teeth do not suffer from fluorosis even though they use the water,” says Dr. Oloo who has been a dentist for the last 32 years.

What is the solution? One would ask.

“People should put water filters in cooking water. These are attached to the water source to help remove fluoride, and they are cheap,” says Dr. Oloo.

Meanwhile, the likes of Kaloki are considering moving to houses that do not totally rely on borehole water.

“I know that access to clean water is a major problem is Nairobi, but the health of my children is important too. I am still a young mother, and still looking at getting a one or two more children. I don’t want to rare children who don’t have teeth,” says Kaloki.

On her part, Achieng is considering investing in water filters.

“I think the trick would be to invest in water filters, which our landlords can help do. I would not wish to change houses just yet,” she says.

Others are asking the county government to carry out sensitisation among residents, and also improve fresh water supply to stop residents from having to depend on borehole water.