Study finds fluoride reduces inequalities in children’s oral health

In the first high-level scientific study of its kind, researchers from the University of Queensland (UQ), working with colleagues from Adelaide University and the Institute of Science Tokyo, have found that the benefits of fluoride fluoridation are greater for children from vulnerable populations.

The study "examined Australian children’s exposure to fluoridated water and compared it to demographic factors such as socioeconomic status, parental background and geography" finding that the benefit for children aged 5 to 14 was greater than for older groups.

Researchers analysed the oral health data of 17,500 children, drawn from the National Child Oral Health Study in 2012-2014, with a particular emphasis says UQ's Professor Loc Do on "children who had been fully, or never, exposed to fluoridated water, so we could capture the effect of fluoride on preventing tooth decay".

The research, which sought to add to data about how water fluoridation impacts health inequalities, clearly showed, says Associate Professor Yusuke Matsuyama, from the Institute of Science Tokyo, the benefits of exposure to fluoridated water.

“Children fully exposed to fluoride made up 58.1 per cent of the group we analysed, and we found they were more likely to have higher household socioeconomic status, lower area-level socioeconomic disadvantage, better dental health and private dental insurance,” Dr Matsuyama said.

“But when looking at the actual benefits of fluoridated water, we found that the group to have the most benefits were more likely to be children from single-parent households, with lower household income, have parents not working, and live in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas.”

Professor Do said these results confirmed the universal impact of water fluoridation for everyone in the communities, regardless of their conditions and abilities.