*Flashback Friday*

*This post originally appeared on The PediaBlog on February 10, 2020.

 

“Get It From The Tap”

 

 

Tooth decay and cavities are one of the most common chronic diseases in humans. A cavity develops when acids and bacteria break down the outer covering of the tooth’s surface (enamel). Once they form, cavities can cause pain, infections, and problems eating, speaking, and learning. As recently as 2012, 21% of children aged 6-11 years had at least one cavity in their permanent teeth. This is despite the fact that cavities are highly preventable by proper brushing with fluoride toothpaste twice a day beginning with the first tooth, applying dental sealants and fluoride varnishes in early childhood, consuming tooth-healthy foods and beverages, and visiting a dentist on a regular basis.

2020 marks the 75th anniversary of community water fluoridation, a practice that has been hailed as one of the top-10 public health achievements of the 20th century. This February, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention celebrate National Children’s Dental Health Month by touting the benefits of fluoride:

[C]ommunity water fluoridation is one of the most practical, cost-effective, equitable and safe measures communities can take to prevent cavities and improve their oral health. Fluoride helps to rebuild and strengthen the tooth’s surface, which in turn prevents cavities from forming. By preventing cavities, community water fluoridation saves money, both for families and the health care system.

 

All children need fluoride to ensure good dental health, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics:

Fluoride is an important mineral for all children. Bacteria in the mouth combine with sugars and produce acid that can harm tooth enamel and damage teeth. Fluoride protects teeth from acid damage and helps reverse early signs of decay. Make sure your children are drinking plenty of water and brushing with toothpaste that has fluoride in it.

 

Community water fluoridation is safe and effective and benefits everyone in the community equally:

Adding fluoride to water is a safe way to prevent tooth decay. Water is “fluoridated” when a public water system adjusts the fluoride to a level known to prevent tooth decay.

Adding fluoride to water benefits everyone. In fact, as more and more communities have added fluoride to water supplies, our nation has seen a significant reduction in cavities and other dental problems. For example, the average number of decayed, filled or missing teeth among 12-year-olds in the U.S. fell 68 percent between 1966 and 1994. “Children’s teeth are healthier than ever, but pediatricians around the country are still seeing kids, especially those from low-income areas, with high levels of decay,” said Mary Brown, MD, FAAP, an Oregon pediatrician and past board member of the American Academy of Pediatrics. “Expanding fluoridation would really help improve children’s oral health.  It’s such an effective strategy because it doesn’t require families to spend extra money or change their daily routine.”

 

Read more about dental health from the AAP here and on The PediaBlog here and here.

[Join The PediaBlog’s 2023 observance of National Children’s Dental Health Month here and here.]

 

source https://www.thepediablog.com/2023/02/10/flashback-friday-245/