Research Studies
Study Tracker
Why policy relevant research still matters for community water fluoridation.Abstract
Community water fluoridation is one of the most important public health interventions. Despite reliable systematically revised evidence supporting the associated health and economic benefits, its implementation to expand community water fluoridation is variable in Australia. Our editorial provides commentary on the existing evidence, and the gaps in adopting Cochrane review methods, and calls for more policy-relevant research to ensure community water fluoridation remains a priority for all levels of government and civil society actors.
ABSTRACT ONLINE AT https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/adj.13063
References:
- 1. , , , , . Economic evaluations of preventive interventions for dental caries and periodontitis: a systematic review. Appl Health Econ Health Policy 2023; 21: 53–70. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40258-022-00758-5.
- 2. , . Monitoring the extent of water fluoridation coverage in Australia. Health Promot J Austral 2020; 31(2): 169–171. https://doi.org/10.1002/hpja.288.
- 3. , . Cost-effectiveness of extending the coverage of water supply fluoridation for the prevention of dental caries in Australia. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 2012; 40(4): 369–376. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0528.2012.00684.x.
- 4. , , , et al. Socio-economic status and access to fluoridated water in Queensland: an ecological data linkage study. Med J Aust 2024; 220(2): 74–79. https://doi.org/10.5694/mja2.52196.
- 5. , , , et al. Water fluoridation for the prevention of dental caries. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2024;(10):CD010856. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD010856.pub3.
- 6. National Health and Medical Research Council. Water fluoridation: dental and other human health outcomes. 2017. URL: ‘https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/about-us/publications/water-fluoridation-dental-and-other-human-health-outcomes’. Accessed Nov 20 2024.
- 7., Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health. Guidelines for use of fluorides in Australia: update 2019. Aust Dent J 2020; 65(1): 30–38. https://doi.org/10.1111/adj.12742.
- 8. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC Scientific Statement on Community Water Fluoridation. Atlanta: US Department of Health and Human Services, 2024. URL: ‘https://www.cdc.gov/fluoridation/media/pdfs/2024/09/Scientific-Statement-on-Community-Water-Fluoridation.pdf’. Accessed Nov 20 2024.
- 9. Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, , , . Water fluoridation and dental health: 2024 update. London (UK): Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, 2024. ‘https://doi.org/10.58248/PB63.
- 10., , , et al. Prioritizing population oral health through public policy in Australia: the Victorian experience. Health Promot Int 2023; 38(4):daad086. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/daad086.
- 11. Cairns Regional Council. Our Cairns 2024 survey findings. Cairns (AU): Cairns Regional Council, 2024. URL: ‘https://www.cairns.qld.gov.au/council/projects-and-priorities/ourcairns/findings-2024’. Accessed Nov 20 2024.
- 12. , , , , , . Water fluoridation for the prevention of dental caries. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2015; 6:CD010856. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD010856.pub2.
- 13. , , , , , . Critique of the review of ‘Water fluoridation for the prevention of dental caries’ published by the Cochrane Collaboration in 2015. Br Dent J 2016; 220: 335–340.
- 14. , , , et al. Fluoridation cessation and children’s dental caries: a 7-year follow-up evaluation of Grade 2 schoolchildren in Calgary and Edmonton. Canada Comm Dent Oral Epid 2022; 50(5): 391–403. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdoe.12685.
- 15. , , . Contemporary evidence on the effectiveness of water fluoridation in the prevention of childhood caries. Comm Dent Oral Epid 2018; 46(4): 407–415. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdoe.12384.
- 16. , , , , . Effects of community water fluoridation on child dental caries in remote Northern Territory, Australia: a difference-in-difference analysis. Rural Remote Health 2024; 24(3):8904. https://doi.org/10.22605/RRH8904.
- 17. , , , et al. Costs and benefits of community water fluoridation in remote aboriginal communities of the northern territory. Australian J Rural Health 2023; 31(5): 1017–1026. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajr.13037.
- 18. , , , . Dental caries experience in young Australian Army recruits 2008. Aust Dent J 2009; 54(4): 316–322. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1834-7819.2009.01156.x.
- 19. , , , , . Reducing potentially preventable dental hospitalizations of young children: a community-level analysis. JDR Clin Trans Res 2018; 3(3): 272–278. https://doi.org/10.1177/2380084418764312.
- 20. , , , , , . The effect of cessation of drinking water fluoridation on dental restorations and crowns in children aged 3–5 years in Israel—a retrospective study. Isr J Health Policy Res 2024; 13(1): 50. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13584-024-00637-5.
- 21. , , , et al. Fit for purpose? The suitability of oral health outcome measures to inform policy. JDR Clin Transl Res 2023; 9: 190–192.
- 22. . Improving dental health status indicators for evaluation. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 1996; 24(1): 32–36. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0528.1996.tb00809.x.
- 23. , , . Trajectory patterns of dental caries experience in the permanent dentition to the fourth decade of life. J Dent Res 2008; 87(1): 69–72. https://doi.org/10.1177/154405910808700112.
- 24. , , , et al. Modeled health economic and equity impact on dental caries and health outcomes from a 20% sugar sweetened beverages tax in Australia. Health Econ 2023; 32(11): 2568–2582. https://doi.org/10.1002/hec.4739.
- 25. , , , , , . Caries trajectories from childhood to adolescence: analysis of data from a nationwide school dental service. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 2024; 52(6): 900–910. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdoe.12996.