A recent study confirms that fluoridation reduces tooth decay in Logan-Beaudesert children, with a notable 19% drop in cases since the introduction of fluoridated water. This research, supported by the Australian Dental Association of Queensland (ADAQ), was led by Emeritus Professor Kim Seow and Professor Laurence Walsh from the University of Queensland School of Dentistry. The three-year study involved 457 children aged four to nine.
Professor Walsh highlighted, “Prior to the introduction of fluoridation in 2008, six-year-old children in the Logan-Beaudesert region had a tooth decay rate two-and-a-half times the national average.” At that time, only five percent of Queensland children had access to fluoridated water. Today, that figure has risen to 80 percent, resulting in a significant reduction in tooth decay and supporting the benefits of local fluoridation initiatives.
Published in the journal of Caries Research, the UQ study conducted with Queensland Health also showed a remarkable 54 percent decrease in the relative risk of decayed, missing, or filled teeth. Dr Ralph Kelsey, President of ADA Queensland, noted a 26 percent reduction in decay observed on dental X-rays for the most vulnerable molar surfaces.
Dr Kelsey remarked, “This positive scientific report confirms what dentists see every day. I trust this research will help inform local councils in Queensland still considering the benefits of fluoridation.”
Besides water fluoridation, the UQ research group and Tooronga Dentistry’s community programs are exploring additional oral health interventions. Targeted telephone campaigns across the Logan-Beaudesert region have also shown encouraging improvements in children’s dental health.
For more information about children’s dental health services, please visit Tooronga Dentistry’s Children’s Dentistry page.