When water fluoridation was initiated in 1945 , it was thought that most of its benefit was in improving the structure of teeth during development , from birth to age six or eight , Levy explains . For the past 30 or more years , however , he says researchers have demonstrated that the majority of the benefit for children , and even more so for adults , is the topical use of fluoride for protecting the outside of the teeth . For comparison , he correlates this to experiencing bone loss as people age . Unlike bone , which the body can recreate or replenish over a lifetime , once permanent teeth have erupted there is no further tooth structure development .
What ’ s Changed ?
First , people are living longer . In 1990 , the life expectancy in the United States was 75.19 years . In 2022 , it has increased to 79.05 years . 5
Second , people retain more teeth as they age as a result of access to fluoridated water , toothpastes , mouthwashes and other products , not
Reinforcing the Importance of Fluoride Use for Lifelong Dental Health
6