Fluoridation and Fluorides

The committee assures that ASTDD positions and policies are presented in all appropriate venues and oversees all activities that the association may be involved in regarding fluorides, including the fluoride awards at the annual meeting.

• Committee Roster
• Committee Logic Model

ASTDD Statement in response to the recent Department of Health and Human Services and Environmental Protection Agency fluoridation announcements:

Community water fluoridation remains the cornerstone of dental caries prevention in the United States and has been demonstrated to be safe, cost-effective and beneficial through every stage of life and for all people, regardless of age, race, ethnicity or socio-economic status.  Numerous worldwide academic and governmental studies have reaffirmed the association between optimal levels of natural and supplemental fluoride in water supplies with improved oral health and the absence of any negative health impacts.  ASTDD continues to encourage communities to adjust the level of fluoride in drinking water to a level that prevents tooth decay while protecting the cosmetic appearance of teeth.

Resources:

• The Pew Children's Dental Campaign FAQ about Water Fluoridation
• Fluoridation; What the Science Says: A number of researchers and health officials have publicly spoken about the scientific evidence supporting fluoridation
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• EPA
• American Dental Association
• Children's Dental Health Project
• The Campaign for Dental Health offers fact sheets and other helpful resources on fluoridation and oral health.
• The Anti-Fluoridationist's Threat to Public Health; Dodes JE. Easley MW; Institute for Science in Medicine. April 2012; A review and rebuttal of classic tactics used by the anti-fluoridationist movement.

Policies On Fluoride

• ASTDD Policy on Fluoride Varnish (April 2010)
• ASTDD Policy on Community Water Fluoridation (April 2009)
• ASTDD Policy on School-Based Fluoride Mouthrinse Programs (March 2011)
• ADA Statement on the Effectiveness of Community Water Fluoridation (June 2002)
• Surgeon General's Statement on Community Water Fluoridation. Dr. Carmona's 2004 statement.
• AAPHD Resolution on Community Water Fluoridation. Approved October 16, 1992 (Pending 2010)
• APHA Community Water Fluoridation in the United States. 10/28/2008
• Institute of Science and Medicine Fluoridation Policy Statement; ISM 2012 policy statement on community water fluoridation. References and recommendations for policy directions are included

Best Practice Reports

• Best Practice Approach Report - Use of Fluoride: Community Water Fluoridation
• Best Practice Approach Report - Use of Fluoride: School-based Fluoride Mouthrinse and Supplement Programs

ASTDD Fluoridation Fact Sheet

Organizations - General Fluoride Information

• AAPHD
• ADA
• CDC
• EPA

Information by Topic Area

Community Water Fluoridation

• ADA Links

  • ADA Press Statement: ADA Reaffirms Support of Water Fluoridation (April 2006)
  • Interim Guidance on Fluoride Intake for Infants and Young Children (Nov. 2006)
  • ADA Statement Commemorating the 60th Anniversary of Community Water Fluoridation (2005)
  • ADA Fluoridation Facts (2005)
  • ADA Statement on the Safety of Community Water Fluoridation (2004)
  • ADA Supports Fluoridation (2002)
  • Bottled water, Home Water Treatment Systems, and Fluoride Exposure (2002)
  • A Half-Century of Community Water Fluoridation in the United States; Review and Commentary JPHD, Volume 53. No 1, Winter 1993
  • Community and School Water Fluoridation JPHD, Volume 44, No. 1, Winter 1984

• CDC Links

  • Community Water Fluoridation Resources on the CDC Oral Health website. (Sept. 2010)
  • Community Water Fluoridation Program Updates - Community Water Fluoridation Program Updates are issued periodically to state program officials. (June 2010)
  • CDC Honors 65 Years of Community Water Fluoridation (Jan. 2010)
  • Surgeon General's Statement on Community Water Fluoridation. Dr. Carmona's 2004 statement.
  • My Water's Fluoride. This CDC Web site allows consumers to find basic information about their water system, including the number of people served by the system and the target fluoridation level. Currently, 26 states provide CDC with this information. (October 2008)
  • Fluorides; Barriers to WFRS Utilization Report (Oct. 2003)
  • Populations Receiving Optimally Fluoridated Public Drinking Water - United States, 2000. MMWR, February 22, 2002;51(7):144–147.
  • Achievements in Public Health, 1900-1999: Fluoridation of Drinking Water to Prevent Dental Caries. MMWR, October 22, 1999;48(41):933–940.
  • Engineering and Administrative Recommendations for Water Fluoridation, 1995. MMWR article.

Research

• Matthew Neidell, PhD, Karin Herzog, BA, and Sherry Glied, PhD. The Association Between Community Water Fluoridation and Adult Tooth Loss, American Journal of Public Health, October 2010, Vol 100, No. 10.
• Jayanth V. Kumar, DDS, MPH, Olubunmi Adekugbe, BDS, MPH, Thomas A. Melnik, DrPH, Geographic Variation in Medicaid Claims for Dental Procedures in New York State: Role of Fluoridation Under Contemporary Conditions, Public Health Reports, September–October 2010,Volume 125.
• Jason Mathew Armfield, PhD, Community Effectiveness of Public Water Fluoridation in Reducing Children's Dental Disease, Public Health Reports, September–October 2010,Volume 125.
• The Long-term Effects of Water Fluoridation on the Human Skeleton; Chachra D, Limeback H, Willett TL, Grynpas MD. J Dent Res. 2010 Sep 21.
• Yeung CA, A systematic review of the efficacy and safety of fluoridation. Evid Based Dent. 2008;9(2):39-43
• Pollick HF. Water fluoridation and the environment: current perspective in the United States. Int. J Occup Environ Health. 2004; 10:343-350.
• Griffin SO, Jones K, Tomar SL. An economic evaluation of community water fluoridation. J Publ Health Dent 2001;61(2):78–86.
• Horwitz, HS, The effectiveness of community water fluoridation in the United States, J Publ Health Dentistry. 1996; 56(Spec No) :253-8
• Griffin SO, Gooch BF, Lockwood SA, Tomar SL, The Halo Effect: Quantifying the diffused benefit from water fluoridation in the United States, Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 2001;29: 120–129.

Topical Fluorides, Gels, Foams

• 2010 ASTDD/OHRC Fluoride Varnish Fact Sheet
• 2010 ASTDD/OHRC Fluoride Varnish Resource Guide
• Crall JJ, Topical Fluoride Recommendations for High-Risk Children Background Paper for MCHB Expert Meeting, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2009
• Fluoride Varnish Research Brief developed by the ASTDD Fluorides Committee that addresses a number of questions about effectiveness, application and other issues. September 2007
• Summary Report of an expert panel meeting on topical fluorides recommendations including a decision support matrix for children at high risk for dental caries. Report produced by the Altarum Institute, October 2007
• American Dental Association. Professionally applied topical fluoride: evidence-based clinical recommendations. J Am Dent Assoc 2006; 137:1151–1159.
• Marinho VCC, Higgins JPT, Sheiham A, Logan S. Combinations of topical fluoride (toothpastes, mouthrinses, gels, varnishes) versus single topical fluoride for preventing dental caries in children and adolescents. The Cochrane Library, Issue 2, 2005. Chichester, UK: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Abstract of a Cochrane Review.
• Marinho VCC, Higgins JPT, Logan S, Sheiham A. Fluoride varnishes for preventing dental caries in children and adolescents. The Cochrane Library, Issue 2, 2005. Chichester, UK: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Abstract of a Cochrane Review.
• Donly, KJ. Fluoride varnishes. Journal of the California Dental Association. 31(3):217-19, MARCH 2003.
• Dietary Fluoride Supplement Schedule. Guidelines for children from birth to 16 years. Approved by the American Dental Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.
• Donly, KJ. Fluoride varnishes. Journal of the California Dental Association. 31(3):217-19, MARCH 2003.
• Recommendations for Using Fluoride to Prevent and Control Dental Caries in the United States 8/01 MMWR Report

Fluoride Supplements

• 2010 JADA Fluoride Supplements...........pending publication
• Dietary Fluoride Supplement Schedule, Guidelines for children from birth to 16 years. Approved by the American Dental Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.
• Recommendations for Using Fluoride to Prevent and Control Dental Caries in the United States 8/01 MMWR Report

School Fluoride Programs

• Kumar, JV, Fluorides in dental public health programs, DentClinNorthAmer 2008 52:2.387-402.
• Recommendations for Using Fluoride to Prevent and Control Dental Caries in the United States 8/01 MMWR Report
• ASTDD School and Adolescent Health Committee

Fluoride Toothpaste

• ADA Statement on FDA Toothpaste Warning Labels