OBJECTIVE To assess the fluoridation of the public water supply and compare these results with previous data. METHODS The study was carried out from March 2004-2005 in Bauru, a city of Southeastern Brazil. Every month, on dates established randomly, 60 water samples were collected from the 19 supply sectors of the city, totaling 737 samples. The fluoride concentration in the water samples was...

Dental caries remains a significant public health problem in many countries and an important cause of health inequalities. In England, almost a third of 5-year-old children and over two-fifths of 15-year-old teenagers are affected, and substantially higher rates of disease are seen among deprived communities. Dental disease can cause impaired nutrition and growth, 3 and is one of the most commo...

This paper reviews the scientific events culminating in the fluoridation of communal water supplies. Dental and medical studies completed by 1942 had established the safety and benefits of exposure to drinking water naturally containing fluoride. Researchers and public health workers concluded that it was possible to test the hypothesis that the dental benefits attained where fluoride levels ar...

Site-specific cancer mortality data for 20 United States cities have been abstracted from United States Government publications to explore further the hypothesis that fluoridation of water supplies causes cancer. Changes in mortality (standardised for age, sex, and ethnic group) between 1958-62 and 1968-72 in 10 fluoridated and 10 non-fluoridated United States cities have been examined. Of the ...