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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Dental Caries (Cavities): Community Water Fluoridation

About this resource:

Systematic Review

Source: The Guide to Community Preventive Services

Last Reviewed: April 2013

Workgroups: Oral Health Workgroup

The Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF) recommends community water fluoridation to reduce tooth decay. CPSTF found that there’s less tooth decay in communities with community water fluoridation. CPSTF also found no strong evidence that community water fluoridation results in severe dental fluorosis (white lines or streaks on the teeth).

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Objectives related to this resource (4)

Reduce the proportion of children and adolescents with lifetime tooth decay — OH‑01
Little or no detectable change
Reduce the proportion of children and adolescents with active and untreated tooth decay — OH‑02
Improving
Reduce the proportion of adults with active or untreated tooth decay — OH‑03
Improving
Increase the proportion of people whose water systems have the recommended amount of fluoride — OH‑11
Baseline only

Suggested Citation

1.

Guide to Community Preventitive Services. (2013). Dental Caries (Cavities): Community Water Fluoridation. Retrieved from https://www.thecommunityguide.org/findings/dental-caries-cavities-community-water-fluoridation