PREVENTION OF DENTAL CARIES THROUGH THE EFFECTIVE USE OF FLUORIDE – THE PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH
Table 1. Dental caries severity in selected countries before implemention of automatic fluoridation for prevention of dental caries 3
Country
1
Ontario
2
Metropolitan area
Automatic Fluoridation Water Salt Milk
DMFT 12-years
Year of implementation
Brazil X 2.8 1953 Bulgaria X 3.1 1988 Canada 1 X 2.1 1945 Chile 2 X 2.6 1996
Chile Codegua
X
3.23 dmft @ 6years of age
Colombia X 2.3 1997
Costa Rica X 2.5 1987 Cuba X 1.5 2000
Czech Republic
1994
X 2.5 1994
France X 1.2 1986 Germany X 0.7 1991 Honk Kong X 0.8 1961 Ireland X 1.1 1957 Israel X 1.66 1970 Jamaica X 1.1 1987 South Korea X 2.08 1978 New Zealand X 1.4 1954 Macedonia X 3.03 2009 Malaysia X 1.6 1957 Mexico X 2.0 1989
Russian Federation
X 2.9 1994
Singapore X 1.0 1958
Switzerland X 0.86 1955 Thailand X 1.9 2000
United Kingdom
X 0.7 2003
St Helens, UK X 1993 United States X 1.16 1945
Uruguay X 2.5 1992
indispensable to ensure sustainability. 3.2. Salt fluoridation One of the objections to water fluoridation is that it limits consumers’ choice. If the public water supply is fluoridated, a consumer has few practical alternatives other than to purchase bottled drinking-water that does not contain fluoride. One of the attractions of fluoridated salt is that it can be sold alongside a non-fluoridated alternative. Salt is consumed by virtually all populations, the amount consumed is constant, and an overdose is virtually excluded. In countries of the Americas decrees, regulations or standards emanated from health authorities require that salt for human consumption be fluoridated. Salt fluoridation has been used successfully for over 55 years. The fluoride addition is inexpensive and techniques for addition in various settings have been developed and these are accessible to small and large processors. When most salt for human consumption is fluoridated, the effectiveness of salt fluoridation approximates that of water fluoridation. Fluoridated salt is available in certain countries that do not have identified programmes. The first studies on the effects on the incidence and prevalence of dental caries of fluoride added to
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