The national fluoride ban will significantly increase the decomposition of children’s teeth and dental costs, the findings of the modeling study

Fluoride has been added to public water systems in the United States since 1945 to strengthen the tooth enamel and fight bacteria, eventually reducing tooth decay. Brigham mass researchers have developed a model to assess the results of dental health for children if the United States prohibits public water fluoridation. The new study, published in Jama Health ForumHe found that the ban on fluoride would significantly increase dental decomposition and costs especially for public insured and uninsured children.

“Fluoride replaces the weaker ions in teeth enamel, making it more powerful and less sensitive to tooth damage caused by bacteria,” said senior writer Lisa Simon MD, DMD, part of the general internal medical medical and Brigham.

“There are strong elements from other countries and cities, such as Calgary in Canada, showing that when the fluoride is eliminated, dental disease is increasing.

Simon and the research team focused on the children for the study because fluoride reinforces teeth during development and more powerful data links fluoridized water to oral health in this age group.

The study used detailed data on the health and fluorization of the oral water collected by 8,484 children (0-19, 49% of girls) in national representative national health and nutrition examination research (NHANES). Using this data set, the researchers developed a model of microtacialism to see how the ban on drinking water will affect oral health, quality of life and dental care costs.

The researchers simulated two scenarios over 5 and 10 years, which are in line with policy design horizons. First, maintaining today’s levels of fluoride and, secondly, eliminating the addition of fluoride to public water.

“Using a simulation model to monitor the development of diseases in current populations, we appreciated the impact of fluoride removal on the risk of dental decomposition and dental costs, including treatment for decomposition and complications.

“We have been simulating 1,000 times to see how different factors could affect the results. This approach helps to ensure that our forecasts are more reliable and reflect true volatility,” said first author Sung Eun Choi, Ph.D.

Researchers found that the elimination of fluoride increased the total number of dental teeth by 7.5 percentage points or 25.4 million more teeth with teeth wear over a five -year period (equivalent to one tooth for one of the three American children). The number of fluoridation cases – a discoloration of tooth enamel due to excessive fluoride intake – is stimulated by 0.2 million. They also estimated the cost of $ 9.8 billion at additional cost of dental care over five years, which increased to $ 19.4 billion after 10 years.

“Most of the increased costs could be attributed to public insured children, which means that it would be immediate cost of public health,” Simon said.

The study did not model cognitive effects from exposure to fluoride as current levels of fluoride in public water are non -connected with worse neurobic effects. Researchers note that their model demonstrates a significant, continuing benefit from fluoride to safe levels currently recommended by the Environmental Protection, the National Toxicity Program and Disease Control and Prevention Centers.

“We know that fluoride works. We are able to show how much it works for most communities and how much they stand to lose if we get rid of it,” Simon said.