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The effect of community water fluoridation on dental caries in children and young people in England: an ecological study.
- Source :
- Journal of Public Health; Jun2023, Vol. 45 Issue 2, p462-469, 8p
- Publication Year :
- 2023
-
Abstract
- Background The protective effect of community water fluoridation (CWF) against dental caries may be modified by secular changes in health behaviour. We aimed to determine the contemporary association between fluoride in public water supplies (PWS) and dental caries indicators and inequalities in England. Methods We estimated exposure to CWF and PWS fluoride concentrations from national monitoring data, using Geographic Information Systems and water supply boundaries, categorizing mean period exposure into <0.1, 0.1–<0.2, 0.2–<0.4, 0.4–<0.7 and ≥0.7 mg/l. We used area-level health outcome and confounder data in multivariable regression models to determine the association between fluoride and caries outcomes and calculated preventive fractions using these coefficients. Results The odds of caries and of severe caries in 5-year-olds fell with increasing fluoride concentration in all SES quintiles (P  < 0.001 to P  = 0.003). There was a negative trend between increasing fluoride concentration and dental extractions (P  < 0.001). Compared to PWS with <0.2 mg/l, CWF prevented 17% (95% confidence interval (CI): 5–27%) to 28% (95% CI: 24–32%) of caries (high-low SES) and 56% (95% CI: 25–74%) of dental extractions. The association between fluoride concentration and caries prevalence/severity varied by socioeconomic status (SES) (P  < 0.001). Conclusions Exposure to fluoride in PWS appears highly protective against dental caries and reduces oral health inequalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- STATISTICS
CONFIDENCE intervals
HEALTH status indicators
ECOLOGICAL research
WATER supply
WATER fluoridation
RISK assessment
DESCRIPTIVE statistics
HEALTH behavior
RESEARCH funding
DENTAL caries
HEALTH equity
DATA analysis software
DATA analysis
ODDS ratio
DISEASE risk factors
CHILDREN
ADOLESCENCE
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 17413842
- Volume :
- 45
- Issue :
- 2
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Journal of Public Health
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 164395649
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdac066