USCPS Task Force Issues a New Oral Health Resource
There are proven community-level approaches that protect our teeth by preventing tooth decay. A new color-coded resource from the U.S. Community Preventive Services Task Force summarizes its recommendations to reduce the rate of tooth decay and improve our oral health. Community water fluoridation is one of the strategies that the Task Force recommends.
The Task Force’s recommendation in support of fluoridation is based on its review of 28 studies that looked at the effect of fluoridation on dental caries — the disease that causes tooth decay. The Task Force produced this report offering full details of its analysis.
For more than 25 years, the Task Force has carefully reviewed the evidence on community-level strategies to improve population health, including oral health. We highlight this one-page resource because the Task Force sets high standards for the evidence required to gain its recommendation. The Task Force makes recommendations based on two levels of evidence, “sufficient” and “strong”. Of the 221 community-level strategies assessed by the Task Force, fewer than half, 47%, were recommended with strong evidence. Fluoridation is one of them.
“The Task Force is committed to using a clear, consistent, and transparent recommendation development process so that health professionals, partners, and the American public can understand and trust its work.” We are proudly among the health professionals who draw upon and highlight such recommendations for you.
