According to researchers, fluoride reduces tooth decay effectively.
– Washington Researchers have shown that water fluoridation has a smaller environmental impact than other tooth decay prevention strategies.
International research findings enhance the case for water fluoridation programs to minimize tooth decay, particularly in the most vulnerable communities.
Fluoridation is regarded as one of the most significant public health projects of the 20th century.
As the climate crisis develops, it is essential to consider how healthcare and disease prevention contribute to the problem. Time has come to act.
This urgency prompted researchers to quantify the environmental impact of water fluoridation for a particular 5-year-old child over the course of a year and compare it to the conventional use of fluoride varnish and toothbrushing programs, which are currently being implemented in some UK schools and internationally.
Today, studies show that water fluoridation significantly reduces dental caries, and more than 35% of the world’s population has access to this treatment.
There are data on the clinical efficacy and cost-benefit analyses of water fluoridation, but none on the environmental impact.
The research team conducted a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) by methodically analyzing the overall distance, weight, and quantity of all items, as well as the procedures associated with all three preventive initiatives (toothbrushing, fluoride varnish programmes and water fluoridation).
The team utilized the Ecoinvent database and data fed into a specific environmental application (OpenLCA) to calculate environmental outputs such as carbon footprint, water usage, and land use.
The environmental impact of water fluoridation was the lowest of all categories assessed. It also had the lowest impact on disability-adjusted life years when compared to other community-level caries prevention programs.
Fluoridating water yielded the highest percentage of return on investment, according to the study.
Given the balance between clinical efficacy, financial effectiveness, and environmental sustainability, researchers believe that water fluoridation should be the recommended preventative measure.
This study demonstrates the necessity for worldwide water fluoridation programs to prevent tooth decay, especially in the most susceptible groups.
Associate professor Duane added, “As the climate issue worsens, we must develop disease-prevention strategies in order to mitigate the adverse consequences of the environment on our health systems.
This study provides ample evidence that water fluoridation is an effective preventative strategy with a minimal carbon footprint.
Professor Paul Ashley, senior clinical lecturer at the UCL Eastman Dental Institute, adding, “New efforts should be made to expand access to this intervention.
