Samaranayake Lakshman, Porntaveetus Thantrira, Tsoi James, Tuygunov Nozimjon
Center of Excellence in Precision Medicine and Digital Health, Geriatric Dentistry and Special Patients Care Program, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Dentistry, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand; Dr DY Patil Dental College and Hospital, Dr DY Patil Vidyapeeth, Pimpri, Pune, India; Faculty of Dentistry, University of Hong Kong, 34 Hospital Road, Hong Kong.
Center of Excellence in Precision Medicine and Digital Health, Geriatric Dentistry and Special Patients Care Program, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Dentistry, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Int Dent J. 2025 May 12;75(4):100833. doi: 10.1016/j.identj.2025.04.013.
Fluoride is a natural element recognized for its dental benefits. Fluoride prevents caries due to its antimicrobial activity, enhancing enamel resistance and promoting remineralization After decades of fluoridation of municipal water supplies to reduce dental caries, an intense debate has resurfaced regarding water fluoridation as a public health strategy to combat caries. This renewed discourse occurs against the backdrop of extensive data that clearly demonstrate the vital role of fluoride in caries prevention. Indeed, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has stated water fluoridation as 1 of the top ten public health interventions in the twentieth century. The FDI World Dental Federation also advocates systemic fluoride use as a cost-effective caries prevention strategy, and supports its inclusion in public health policies through a number of policy directives. This debate in the US has intensified as a Court concluded that water fluoridation poses unreasonable risks such as reduction of the intelligence quotient (IQ) in children. Additionally, recent statements from the leadership of the US Health and Human Services agency suggest that water fluoridation may cause more harm than good leading some states, like Utah, to revoke fluoridation mandates This article aims to provide a contemporary perspective on fluoride by revisiting its benefits, controversies, and potential risks. It highlights the dual role of fluoride in both individual oral care and public health and underscores the necessity for safe, equitable, and effective delivery strategies tailored to the needs of diverse populations, balancing its preventive advantages with potential health concerns. The review culminates with a summary of policy statements from the FDI World Dental Federation regarding the promotion of oral health through both systemic and topical fluoridation.
氟化物是一种天然元素，因其对牙齿有益而为人所知。氟化物因其抗菌活性可预防龋齿，增强牙釉质抵抗力并促进再矿化。在市政供水进行数十年氟化处理以减少龋齿之后，关于水氟化作为预防龋齿的公共卫生策略的激烈辩论再次浮出水面。这场新的讨论是在大量数据的背景下展开的，这些数据清楚地表明了氟化物在预防龋齿中的重要作用。事实上，美国疾病控制与预防中心已将水氟化列为20世纪十大公共卫生干预措施之一。国际牙科联合会也倡导系统使用氟化物作为一种具有成本效益的龋齿预防策略，并通过多项政策指令支持将其纳入公共卫生政策。在美国，这场辩论愈演愈烈，因为一家法院得出结论，水氟化会带来不合理的风险，如降低儿童智商。此外，美国卫生与公众服务部领导层最近的声明表明，水氟化可能弊大于利，导致犹他州等一些州撤销了氟化授权。本文旨在通过重新审视氟化物的益处、争议和潜在风险，提供一个关于氟化物的当代视角。它强调了氟化物在个人口腔护理和公共卫生中的双重作用，并强调了制定安全、公平和有效的输送策略以满足不同人群需求的必要性，平衡其预防优势与潜在健康问题。综述最后总结了国际牙科联合会关于通过全身和局部氟化促进口腔健康的政策声明。
