Surface and groundwater resources are two important sources in meeting agricultural, urban, and industrial needs. Random supply of surface water resources has prevented these resources from being a reliable source of water supply at all times. Therefore, groundwater acts as insurance in case of water shortage, and maintaining the quality of these resources is very important. On the other hand, studying vulnerability and identifying areas prone to aquifer pollution seems necessary for the development and optimal management of these valuable resources. Identifying the vulnerabilities of the aquifer areas to pollution will lead to a greater focus on preserving those areas. Therefore, groundwater quality assessment was performed in this study using the groundwater quality index (GQI), and groundwater vulnerability to pollution was assessed using the DRASTIC index. GQI is developed based on the values of six quality parameters (Na +, Mg 2+, Ca 2+, SO 42–, Cl–, and TDS). The DRASTIC index is developed based on the values of seven parameters (depth to the water table, net recharge, aquifer media, soil media, topography, impact of vadose zone, hydraulic conductivity). The zoning of both indexes has been done using geographic information system (GIS) software. The results show that the GQI of the region was about 93, and its DRASTIC index was about 86. Therefore, the quality of aquifer groundwater is excellent, and its vulnerability to pollution is low.

Background/Objectives: Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) is an ultra rare genetic disorder causing progressive heterotopic ossification. The dental phenotype has never been systematically characterised. We quantified dental pathologies and oral health related quality of life across three age groups of genetically confirmed FOP patients and compared them with 156 matched healthy controls (2022–2025). Methods: 52 FOP patients (Group I: 1–5 y, n=14; Group II: 6–17 y, n=21; Group III: 18–35 y, n=17) underwent standardised dental examination (Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth index (DMFT), Oral Hygiene Index Simplified (OHI S), Angle classification, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) assessment), computed tomography (CT) densitometry, sialometry, salivary crystal analysis, and Oral Health Impact Profile 14 (OHIP 14). Statistical analysis used Kruskal Wallis, Mann Whitney U, Benjamini Hochberg false discovery rate (FDR) correction, and effect sizes. Results: Caries (DMFT≥4) was highly prevalent across all FOP groups (82–86%) and significantly higher than in controls (84.6% vs. 38.5%, p<0.001). Chronic stomatitis increased steeply with age (7.1% in Group I → 100% in Group III, p<0.001); it was universal in FOP adults vs. 6.4% in controls. Enamel hypoplasia (21.4% → 58.8%) and Angle class II malocclusion (0% → 47.1%) also showed large age group differences. Total TMJ disorders were observed in 7.1% of Group I and 100% of Group III (p<0.001); maximal mouth opening was lower by 17.4 mm in Group III (Cohen’s d=2.1). Salivary flow rate was 20% lower in adults (0.35→0.28 ml/min, p=0.01). Calcium phosphate crystals were detected in 17.6% of adults and correlated with CT calcification grade (ρ=0.67, p=0.003). OHIP 14 total score was higher (worse) in Group III (48.9 vs. 12.4 in Group I, Cohen’s d=1.95). Conclusions: This first systematic characterisation of the dental phenotype in FOP shows that chronic stomatitis and TMJ dysfunction become nearly universal by early adulthood, severely impairing quality of life. The correlation between salivary calcium phosphate crystals and CT calcification generates the hypothesis of a non invasive biomarker, requiring prospective validation. The proposed clinical phenotype and minimally invasive recommendations provide a framework for safer dental management of FOP patients.

Background/Objectives: Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) is an ultra-rare genetic disorder causing progressive heterotopic ossification. The dental phenotype has never been systematically characterised. We quantified dental pathologies and oral health-related quality of life across three age groups of genetically confirmed FOP patients and compared them with 156 matched healthy controls (2022–2025). Methods: A total of 52 FOP patients (Group I: 1–5 y, n = 14; Group II: 6–17 y, n = 21; Group III: 18–35 y, n = 17) underwent standardised dental examination (Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth index (DMFT), Oral Hygiene Index Simplified (OHI-S), Angle classification, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) assessment), computed tomography (CT) densitometry, sialometry, salivary crystal analysis, and Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14). Statistical analysis used Kruskal–Wallis, Mann–Whitney U, Benjamini–Hochberg false discovery rate (FDR) correction, and effect sizes. Results: Caries (DMFT ≥ 4) was highly prevalent across all FOP groups (82–86%) and significantly higher than in controls (84.6% vs. 38.5%, p < 0.001). Chronic stomatitis showed large age-group differences: 7.1% in Group I vs. 100% in Group III (p < 0.001); it was universal in FOP adults vs. 6.4% in controls. Enamel hypoplasia (21.4% → 58.8%) and Angle class II malocclusion (0% → 47.1%) also showed large age-group differences. Total TMJ disorders were observed in 7.1% of Group I and 100% of Group III (p < 0.001); maximal mouth opening was lower by 17.4 mm in Group III (Cohen’s d = 2.1). Salivary flow rate was 20% lower in adults (0.35 → 0.28 mL/min, p = 0.01). Calcium phosphate crystals were detected in 3/17 adults (17.6%) and showed a preliminary correlation with CT calcification grade (ρ = 0.67, p = 0.003); given the small number of crystal-positive patients, this finding should be considered hypothesis-generating. OHIP-14 total score was higher (worse) in Group III (48.9 vs. 12.4 in Group I, Cohen’s d = 1.95). Conclusions: This cross-sectional study provides a systematic characterisation of the dental phenotype in FOP across three age groups. It shows that chronic stomatitis and TMJ dysfunction become nearly universal by early adulthood, severely impairing quality of life. The correlation between salivary calcium phosphate crystals and CT calcification generates the hypothesis of a non-invasive biomarker, requiring prospective validation. The proposed clinical phenotype and minimally invasive recommendations provide a framework for safer dental management of FOP patients.