Controlled fluoridation benefits after 14 years of implementation

Two identical dental examinations were conducted in Lincoln, Nebraska to evaluate the dental health of public elementary and high school subjects before and after the community water supply had been fluoridated to an ideal level. All the subjects were examined clinically and radiologically. In 1984, 398 dental records from a similar 1964 survey were reanalyzed to develop standard epidemiological tables and demographic information. Two hundred forty-nine student subjects were examined in 1984. The results of this study were tabulated for the primary teeth, permanent teeth, and the total dentition. When considering permanent teeth, the 1964 pre-fluoridation student subjects had an average of 5.51 decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT); and an average of 10.27 decayed, missing, and filled surfaces (DMFS). In contrast, the 1984 post-fluoridation student subjects, had an average DMFT of 2.51 and an average DMFS of 3.76.