Facts and Fallacies of the Fluoride Controversy: A Contemporary Perspective
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...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-08-01
|
| Series: | International Dental Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0020653925001224 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849432277961932800 |
|---|---|
| author | Lakshman Samaranayake Thantrira Porntaveetus James Tsoi Nozimjon Tuygunov |
| author_facet | Lakshman Samaranayake Thantrira Porntaveetus James Tsoi Nozimjon Tuygunov |
| author_sort | Lakshman Samaranayake |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | 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 one 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. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-148d6e03099a4643845efea198264c65 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0020-6539 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Dental Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-148d6e03099a4643845efea198264c652025-08-20T03:27:24ZengElsevierInternational Dental Journal0020-65392025-08-0175410083310.1016/j.identj.2025.04.013Facts and Fallacies of the Fluoride Controversy: A Contemporary PerspectiveLakshman Samaranayake0Thantrira Porntaveetus1James Tsoi2Nozimjon Tuygunov3Center 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; Corresponding author. Dr Lakshman Samaranayake, Faculty of Dentistry, 34 Hospital Road, Hong Kong SAR, China.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, ThailandFaculty of Dentistry, University of Hong Kong, 34 Hospital Road, Hong KongFaculty of Dentistry, Kimyo International University in Tashkent, Tashkent, Uzbekistan; Corresponding author. Dr Nozimjon Tuygunov, Faculty of Dentistry, Kimyo International University in Tashkent, Shota Rustaveli street 156, 100121, Tashkent, Uzbekistan.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 one 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.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0020653925001224Fluoridedental carieshealthcarewater fluoridationtopical fluoridefluoride toxicity |
| spellingShingle | Lakshman Samaranayake Thantrira Porntaveetus James Tsoi Nozimjon Tuygunov Facts and Fallacies of the Fluoride Controversy: A Contemporary Perspective International Dental Journal Fluoride dental caries healthcare water fluoridation topical fluoride fluoride toxicity |
| title | Facts and Fallacies of the Fluoride Controversy: A Contemporary Perspective |
| title_full | Facts and Fallacies of the Fluoride Controversy: A Contemporary Perspective |
| title_fullStr | Facts and Fallacies of the Fluoride Controversy: A Contemporary Perspective |
| title_full_unstemmed | Facts and Fallacies of the Fluoride Controversy: A Contemporary Perspective |
| title_short | Facts and Fallacies of the Fluoride Controversy: A Contemporary Perspective |
| title_sort | facts and fallacies of the fluoride controversy a contemporary perspective |
| topic | Fluoride dental caries healthcare water fluoridation topical fluoride fluoride toxicity |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0020653925001224 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lakshmansamaranayake factsandfallaciesofthefluoridecontroversyacontemporaryperspective AT thantriraporntaveetus factsandfallaciesofthefluoridecontroversyacontemporaryperspective AT jamestsoi factsandfallaciesofthefluoridecontroversyacontemporaryperspective AT nozimjontuygunov factsandfallaciesofthefluoridecontroversyacontemporaryperspective |