Health Equity

School Nurses Voice Concern After County Ends Fluoridation

February 27th, 2024 Children's Oral Health and Fluoride, Communities Supporting Fluoride, Health Equity, What the Experts Say about Fluoride

tooth decay children attend school

When officials in Collier County, Florida, recently voted to end fluoridation, dental professionals and pediatricians were disheartened. School nurses were concerned too. Why? They see firsthand the negative impact of tooth decay on children’s ability to attend school, learn and thrive. After the county’s board of commissioners made its decision, leading voices from the school […]

Study: Fluoride in Water Has More Benefits than Free Dental Care

November 2nd, 2023 Children's Oral Health and Fluoride, Fluoride and Public Health, Health Equity

A new study has linked community water fluoridation (CWF) in Israel with lower rates of tooth decay. The authors found no link between decay and the effects of free dental services which were mandated in 2014. When Israel adopted nationwide water fluoridation in 2002, tooth decay among children fell significantly. The practice was discontinued in […]

New Tools for Oral Health Risk Assessment

June 22nd, 2023 Children's Oral Health, Health Equity, Infographics

The AAP Oral Health Risk Assessment tool has been updated to streamline and support this essential component of the well-child visit. The tool is now accompanied by an intake form to collect pertinent patient information from parents/caregivers. An updated self-management goal sheet supports shared decision-making on preventing cavities and maintaining healthy teeth at home. The […]

Help For Kids’ Teeth: Another Study Reports “clinically significant” Benefits of fluoride in Water

June 22nd, 2023 Children's Oral Health and Fluoride, Fluoride and Public Health, Fluoride, Oral Health, and Access to Care, Health Equity

A team of researchers in England examined the impact of fluoride in water and reported “strong evidence for a highly clinically significant reduction” in the amount and severity of tooth decay. This new study, The effect of community water fluoridation on dental caries in children and young people in England: an ecological study, focused on […]

A Call to Expand Fluoridation in Britain

April 6th, 2023 Communities Supporting Fluoride, Fluoride and Public Health, Health Equity, Sustain or Initiate Fluoridation in your Community

In the United Kingdom, the Association of Directors of Public Health (ADPH) is urging the government to pursue six strategies to reduce disparities in children’s oral health. One of the six strategies advanced by ADPH is to increase the number of community water fluoridation programs. ADPH describes fluoridation as “the single most effective public health […]

USCPS Task Force Issues a New Oral Health Resource

December 15th, 2022 Facts about Fluoride, Fluoride and Public Health, Health Equity

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 […]