Research Sheds New Light on the Benefits of Water Fluoridation to Children

A seven-year study led by University of Manchester researchers has concluded that fluoridation of the water supply may provide a small benefit to children’s dental health.

The benefits are smaller than presented in previous research studies– carried out 50 years back– when fluoride toothpaste was less extensively available in the U.K.

The CATFISH research was released on Nov. 14 in the journal Public Health Research.

The study was led by a group from the University’s Division of Dentistry and is the first contemporary research on the impacts of initiating a water fluoridation scheme in the U.K. because fluoride toothpaste became commonly available in the 1970s.

The research study likewise showed it was most likely that water fluoridation was inexpensive to help reduce several of the ₤ 1.7 billion a year the NHS spends on dental caries.

Other collaborators in the study included Cambridge University, Kings College London, Salford Royal Foundation Trust, and the specialist dental services at North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust.

Water fluoridation on children

The research study examined the dental health of 2 groups of young children over a 6 year period in West Cumbria– where water fluoridation was reintroduced in 2013, and the remainder of Cumbria, which remains fluoride free.

In West Cumbria, the younger group was born after water fluoridation was introduced (this implied they had the complete impact of water fluoridation).

The older group was aged around 5 when fluoride was reestablished into the water supply– implying they mostly received the advantage for those teeth already in the mouth.

At the end of the study, 1,444 five-year-olds that were part of the younger group and 1,192 eleven-year-olds that belonged to the older group had taken part.

Dental teams carried out examinations on the children at routine intervals and took images of their teeth which were blinded to the fluoridation status of each participant to eliminate bias.

They additionally gathered information regarding the children’s diet, brushing habits, and dental attendance.

In the younger group, 17.4% of the children in fluoridated areas had decayed, filled, or missing milk teeth; the number was 21.4% for children in non-fluoridated locations, amounting to a moderate 4% decrease in the occurrence of cavities.

In the older group, 19.1% of the children in fluoridated locations had decayed, filled, or missing permanent teeth; the number was 21.9% for children in non-fluoridated areas. There was insufficient proof regarding whether water fluoridation protects against decay in older children, with a difference of 2.8%.

Increasing dental health conditions

Over the last 40 years, the percentage of children affected by decay has dropped significantly.

Because tooth decay drops disproportionately in more disadvantaged groups, fluoridation needs to be considered along with measures targeted at vulnerable communities, the group argues.

Professor Mike Kelly, a senior member of the research study group from The University of Cambridge, claimed, Health inequalities are an attribute of all societies, including the U.K. The inadequate oral health of children from the most disadvantaged communities and the excessive amount of children having general anesthetics every year still needs to be addressed. They must constantly look at measures that can assist prevent the unneeded strain of pain and suffering.

Dr. Michaela Goodwin from The University of Manchester, a senior investigator on the project, claimed, “While water fluoridation is likely to be inexpensive and has demonstrated an improvement in oral health, it needs to be thoroughly considered together with other alternatives, specifically as the disease ends up being focused in specific groups.

According to Goodwin, tooth decay is a non-trivial illness, so measures to tackle it are essential. Extracting children’s teeth under general anesthetic is high-risk for the child. It is one of the most typical reasons for children between the ages of 5 and 9 to have a general anesthetic.

Goodwin continues by saying that decayed teeth hurt and can affect sleep patterns, learning, focus, and many aspects of overall health. However, more questions remain, and we hope to follow up on these children long-term.

Read the original article on Medical Xpress.

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