Controversies in Science/Water fluoridation/A Critique of Water fluoridation in the Blue Mountains reduces risk of tooth decay

(Review Paper) Cited in

Points Made
By drinking fluoridated water, you add fluoride into the enamel of your teeth. When fluoride is present in your teeth, it strengthens the teeth by making them more resistant to being dissolved by acid.

Methods
Children aged 5-11, all of whom attended the same schools, were sampled in 2003. All though the children aged 8-12 had more varied results, overall, there were 20-40% less caries found. Results for adolescents showed approximately 15-35% fewer caries.

Results
According to the 2003 study, 95% of 1963 children between the ages of 5-13 were reported to use fluoride toothpaste. Children aged 5-11, all of whom attended the same schools, were sampled in 2003. All though the children aged 8-12 had more varied results, overall, there were 20-40% less caries found. Results for adolescents showed approximately 15-35% fewer caries.