Reliable means of reducing number of dental incidents over a lifetime
The American Dental Hygienists’ Association has announced their support for community water fluoridation, claiming it offers a strong chance of reduction of the number of dental issues over the average lifespan.
Research conducted over the past seventy years has consistently shown that fluoridation of community water supplies is a safe and cost-effective means to reduce the prevalence of tooth decay. However, the ADHA was prompted to respond after a recent publication in the August 2019 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Pediatrics entitled “Association between Maternal Fluoride Exposure during Pregnancy and IQ Scores in Offspring in Canada.”
Findings in this article included a link between levels of fluoride exposure during pregnancy and decreased IQs in children between the ages of 3-4 years old. Their conclusion was a recommendation to avoid fluoride intake during pregnancy.
According to News Medical Life Sciences, the authors outlined the following limitations on their study:
- The timing of the urine sampling may not have precisely represented fetal exposure throughout the pregnancy.
- Maternal IQ was not taken into consideration.
- The reported fluoride intake did not measure the actual concentration in the tap water in the participant’s home. Fluoride concentration was estimated based on the postal code; some locations could be receiving water from multiple treatment plants.
- The estimated fluoride intake only considered beverages; dietary sources and oral hygiene products such as toothpaste were not considered.
- Information on the consumption of tap water and other water-based beverages was obtained via a self-report, non-validated questionnaire that may be subject to recall bias.
- The method for estimating maternal fluoride intake has not been validated.
- Post-natal fluoride exposure or consumption was not assessed.
On the whole, ADHA is committed to fluoridation of public water supply to offset tooth decay.
SOURCE: News Medical Life Sciences
