Study Shows Fluoridation Reduces Risk Of Cavities
A study carried out by the Health Ministry’s community dental medicine department in Jerusalem has revealed that fluoridated water helps to reduce the risk of cavities.
The survey, which was lead by Professor Harold Sgan-Cohen, revealed that fluoridated water reduced rates of decay considerably in 2011 and 2012. The survey involved more than 2,000 12 year old children in five cities around the country; the children were from different socioeconomic backgrounds.
The results compared rates of decay in communities where there was access to fluoridated water and towns where there was no fluoride in the water. Researchers found that decay was twice as common in children who lived in areas without fluoridated water and children living in areas with fluoridated water had much better teeth.
The research team also looked for side-effects of consuming fluoridated water; researchers found a “minimal amount of mild fluorosis”, which was comparable with studies carried out in other countries.
The report said that the results of the survey would not affect the current policy on water fluoridation.
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