Water fluoridation is a process of adding fluoride to public water until a desired level of fluoride in the water is reached. It has been used as a public health measure to reduce tooth decay and it is important for oral health especially the teeth. Natural water contains a small amount of fluoride but it is limited and insufficient to provide a significant change in the improvement of oral health. Water fluoridation adds fluoride to public water and it is adjusted to between 0.7 - 1.0 parts per million in drinking water which is deemed the most effective and efficient way of preventing dental caries (tooth decay).
Public health authorities around the world such as World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and …show more content…
It is an all time, low-lying infection which is always present in the community worldwide and it is a major public health problem. There are several primary and contributing factors which determine if dental caries develops as well as an individual 's susceptibility to caries. Fluoride plays a huge part in preventing tooth decay.
Ever since its discovery several decades ago, researchers and scientists over the world have been using fluoride to help in the prevention of dental caries and brought the introduction of water fluoridation in the 1940s. It was thought to be the largest contribution for the prevention of tooth decay for the general population than any other methods carried out. The caries rates started to decrease and it was particularly noticeable in during the 20th …show more content…
One of the reasons is that fluoride has antibacterial properties. However, tooth decay is not the only problem which arises due to the presence of bacteria. Bacteria within the oral environment can also cause gingivitis and periodontitis. Gingivitis is an inflammation of the gums in which the gums are swollen, red, tender and bleed easily. However, periodontitis is a gum disease on a more severe level. It is a serious infection which damages the tissues surrounding the tooth. The tissues which surround the tooth are the gum, the bone, the outer layer of hard tissue of the root of the toth and the ligaments which hold the tooth within its socket. In periodontitis, the gum tissues separate from the tooth and the bone holding the tooth is destroyed. Periodontitis is characterized by red and bleeding gums, deep valleys in between the tooth and the adjacent gum and may or may not present with loose teeth and the visibility of the root of the tooth. If left untreated, periodontal disease can lead to tooth
Public health authorities around the world such as World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and …show more content…
It is an all time, low-lying infection which is always present in the community worldwide and it is a major public health problem. There are several primary and contributing factors which determine if dental caries develops as well as an individual 's susceptibility to caries. Fluoride plays a huge part in preventing tooth decay.
Ever since its discovery several decades ago, researchers and scientists over the world have been using fluoride to help in the prevention of dental caries and brought the introduction of water fluoridation in the 1940s. It was thought to be the largest contribution for the prevention of tooth decay for the general population than any other methods carried out. The caries rates started to decrease and it was particularly noticeable in during the 20th …show more content…
One of the reasons is that fluoride has antibacterial properties. However, tooth decay is not the only problem which arises due to the presence of bacteria. Bacteria within the oral environment can also cause gingivitis and periodontitis. Gingivitis is an inflammation of the gums in which the gums are swollen, red, tender and bleed easily. However, periodontitis is a gum disease on a more severe level. It is a serious infection which damages the tissues surrounding the tooth. The tissues which surround the tooth are the gum, the bone, the outer layer of hard tissue of the root of the toth and the ligaments which hold the tooth within its socket. In periodontitis, the gum tissues separate from the tooth and the bone holding the tooth is destroyed. Periodontitis is characterized by red and bleeding gums, deep valleys in between the tooth and the adjacent gum and may or may not present with loose teeth and the visibility of the root of the tooth. If left untreated, periodontal disease can lead to tooth