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- Title
The relationship between water fluoridation and socioeconomic deprivation on tooth decay in 5-year-old children.
- Authors
Jones, C.; Worthington, H.; Jones, C M
- Abstract
<bold>Aim: </bold>To examine the relationship between water fluoridation, socioeconomic deprivation and tooth decay in 5-year-olds.<bold>Setting: </bold>10,004 children: 1,051 in naturally fluoridated Hartlepool in 1991/92, 3,816 in fluoridated Newcastle & North Tyneside and 5,137 in non-fluoridated Salford & Trafford in 1993/94.<bold>Outcome Measures: </bold>Correlations between mean electoral ward dmft and ward Townsend Scores from the 1991 census.<bold>Results: </bold>Regardless of the level of water fluoridation significant correlations were found between deprivation and tooth decay. Multiple linear regression models for dmft showed a statistically significant interaction between ward Townsend score, and both types of water fluoridation, confirming the more deprived the area the greater the reduction in tooth decay. At a Townsend score of zero (the English average) there was a predicted 43% reduction in decay in 5-year-olds in fluoridated areas.<bold>Conclusions: </bold>Tooth decay is strongly associated with social deprivation. The findings confirm that the implementation of water fluoridation has halved tooth decay in 5-year-old children and that the dental caries divide between rich and poor is reduced.
- Subjects
WATER fluoridation; DENTAL caries in children
- Publication
British Dental Journal, 1999, Vol 186, Issue 8, p397
- ISSN
0007-0610
- Publication type
journal article
- DOI
10.1038/sj.bdj.4800122a