[Recommendation of the introduction of salt fluoridation for caries prevention in Hungary]

The aim of the paper is to review the four decades' long history of salt fluoridation, and to report on experiments and activities in Hungary in the course of the last three decades, aiming the country-wide introduction of domestic salt fluoridation. Salt fluoridation, as a caries preventive method was first introduced in Switzerland, in 1955, later caries-reducing effects were studied in Columbia, Spain and Hungary. The results of the clinical experiments of K. Tóth performed in Szeged, Hungary, showed after 17 years a caries reduction of about 66%. These results contributed significantly to the introduction of salt fluoridation in several (France, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Germany) countries. Leaders of Hungarian dentistry tried to introduce salt fluoridation since 1972, but due to the antifluoride lobby, and organisational difficulties, the authorization was delayed. However, in the last three years in the course of several discussions and debates within the top-commissions, a positive statement was issued recently by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences on the support for the country-wide introduction of domestic salt fluoridation at earliest possible convenience.