Skip to main content
Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health logoLink to Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
. 1981 Jun;35(2):98–101. doi: 10.1136/jech.35.2.98

The effect of fluoridation on the dental health of urban Scottish Schoolchildren.

A S Blinkhorn, M D Brown, D Attwood, M C Downer
PMCID: PMC1052131  PMID: 7299343

Abstract

A comparison was made of the dental health of children aged 4-5 and 9-10 in two Scottish towns, one with fluoridated drinking water and the other without. Striking differences were observed. A 44% reduction in decayed, missing, and filled deciduous teeth was found in 4-5 year-olds in the fluoridated compared with the non-fluoridated town and a 50% reduction in decayed, missing, and filled permanent teeth was recorded for the 9-10-year-olds. Larger percentage differences were found for the anterior teeth: a 65% reduction in deciduous incisors and canines, and an 81% reduction in permanent incisors and canines. Fluoridation of public water supplies in urban areas of Scotland would be a safe and effective way of dramatically improving dental health.

Full text

PDF
98

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Downer M. C., Teagle F. A., Whittle J. G. Field testing of an information system for planning and evaluating dental services. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 1979 Feb;7(1):11–16. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0528.1979.tb01178.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Murray J. Caries experience of 15-year-old children from fluoride and non-fluoride communities. Br Dent J. 1969 Aug 5;127(3):128–131. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Rugg-Gunn A. J., Carmichael C. L., French A. D., Furness J. A. Fluoridation in Newcastle and Northumberland. A clinical study of 5-year-old children. Br Dent J. 1977 Jun 21;142(12):395–402. doi: 10.1038/sj.bdj.4803927. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Whittle J. G., Downer M. C. Dental health and treatment needs of Birmingham and Salford school children. A comparison in a fluoridated and a non-fluoridated area. Br Dent J. 1979 Aug 7;147(3):67–71. doi: 10.1038/sj.bdj.4804282. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES