[Prevalence of caries and fluorides]

In the whole of Switzerland, caries prevalence was high until 1960. Dental health education programs which included topical fluorides were introduced in the 1960's. Substantial declines of dental caries prevalence have been documented since 1968. In the canton of Zurich e.g. fourteen year-old children had an average of 23.8 cavities (most of them filled) in 1963 which was reduced to only 3.8 in 1987. Similar reductions, primarily due to multiple uses of fluorides, have also been obtained in younger age-groups and in other parts of Switzerland. On an epidemiological basis fluoridated salt reduced dental caries prevalence better than fluoride tablets. This is because tablets are only preferable for a minority of well-motivated families and required good compliance by the children. Modern research reveals that it is not the amount of ingested fluoride (acting systemically) but the frequency and duration of the contact of the fluoride with the erupted teeth which is most important. During pregnancy fluoride tablets benefit the mother's teeth and ensures a satisfactory fluoride level in the fetal skeleton. This is considered desirable as mothers' milk consistently contains only approximately 0.02 ppm fluoride. No caries-protective effect of the fetal fluoride, however, has been substantiated by pertinent research. Only a negligible cariostatic effect results by supplying fluoride to the infant. Caries prevention by fluoride begins to be important during the eruption of the primary teeth, at the latest at the eruption of the primary molars.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)