Systemic Fluorides and Dental Health

Dental caries remains a significantly prevalent public health problem globally for both developing countries and deprived inhabitants in developed countries. The WHO Oral Health Programme persists in emphasizing the importance of public health methods for the effective use of fluorides in the prevention of dental caries. Early research and development were concerned with waterborne fluorides, both naturally occurring and their controlled addition, with emphasis on the effects of fluoridation on the prevalence and incidence of dental caries. More recently, systematic reviews summarizing these extensive databases have indicated that water fluoridation and fluoride toothpaste both substantially reduced dental caries. Fluoride must be present in the right place, namely in saliva and dental plaque at the right time to interfere with the tooth decay process. This process is a swing and balance affair between acid dissolution and remineralization of the tooth surfaces. In addition, in conditions where the incidence and prevalence of dental caries in the community are high to moderate, or when there are firm indications that the incidence of caries is increasing, a supplementary source of fluoride should be contemplated.