Contribution of fluoride vehicles to change in caries severity in Australian adolescents

The contribution of a fluoride vehicle to change in caries severity in a population depends on the importance of its association with caries severity and the population's exposure to the vehicle. The present study aimed to quantify population trends in Australian adolescents' exposure to fluoridated water supplies, fluoride supplements and fluoride-containing dentifrice between 1965 and 1978, and conditionally up to 1990; to predict changes in caries severity; and to indicate the change attributable to each fluoride vehicle. At a population level, proportion of lifetime exposure to fluoridated water supplies and market-share held by fluoride-containing dentifrice increased over the period 1965 to 1990. Regular use of fluoride supplements first increased, then decreased over the period. Caries severity was predicted to have decreased markedly for Australian adolescents over the period 1965 to 1990, with the rate of change over the period varying by age. Fluoridated water supplies, followed by fluoride-containing dentifrice contributed most to the change in caries severity.