Fluoridation--the Israel experience

In the early 1970s the dental health of Israeli children was poor. As the dental services were insufficient to cope with the high disease rate the only realistic way of improving dental health was by prevention. The central element of this strategy was water fluoridation. The first water fluoridation plant was opened in 1981 in Jerusalem. Now all three main population centres, namely Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Haifa are all fluoridated and 42 per cent of the population of Israel receive the benefits of fluoridated water. Epidemiological studies have shown that 5- and 12-year-old children living in fluoridated areas have considerably less dental caries than those receiving unfluoridated water. Plans are being made to introduce new schemes and it is hoped that 82 per cent of the community will receive fluoridated water by the year 2000. A survey of dental fluorosis has indicated the presence of some mild fluorosis, the levels being higher in those areas with the highest mean daily temperatures. A small reduction in the fluoride levels of such areas may be considered.