Changing trends in South Wales fluoride prescription dispensing (1993-7)

To observe patterns of fluoride preparation dispensing by primary care practitioners in a health authority.

Observational study.

The Prescription Pricing Agency of the Welsh Health Common Services Authority (WHCSA).

Individuals who had exchanged a prescription for a fluoride preparation at a pharmacy in Bro Taf Health Authority in the six months from 1 January 1997 to 30 June 1997.

Information from each prescription including a fluoride preparation, passed to WHCSA from pharmacists during the study, was entered onto a database, including the prescriber's postcode and profession, the recipient's postcode and product information. Numbers of dental prescriptions were correlated to local levels of NHS primary dental care provision and caries prevalence data. Comparisons were made with a similar study undertaken in 1993.

415 dentists' prescriptions were dispensed within the area, of which 38.8% originated from five dentists. At least one prescription had been made by 89 of the 253 local primary dental care providers (35%). Within the area monitored in both 1993 and 1997, dental prescribing rates had almost halved. Of the 122 doctors' prescriptions that were dispensed over the six-month period, 98 were mouthwash preparations for adult patients and four were for children.

NHS provision of fluoride supplementation was low and remained related to prescribing patterns of individuals rather than to evidence on local variations in dental caries prevalence.