Caries-Preventive Effects of Fluoride Tablets in Schoolchildren Four Years after Discontinuation of Treatments

Abstract

The Wayne County data indicate that administration of fluoride tablets in school should be recommended in nonfluoridated areas as an effective public health measure to prevent dental caries. In addition to reducing dental caries effectively, administering fluoride tablets in school has a number of other desirable features; it is safe and relatively inexpensive; it requires no paper products and thus eliminates waste disposal; it takes little time to administer (less than three minutes per day for a classroom of average size); it is easy for young children to learn and to do; and it can be supervised by teachers, aides, or volunteers after minimal training. Findings that benefits still persist, although perhaps to a slightly lesser degree, four years after treatment is discontinued further accentuate the public health appeal of the procedure. The data give no indication that two fluoride tablets a day are more protective than one tablet a day. Therefore, a single one-mg fluoride tablet daily is recommended for school programs because of lower cost and greater feasibility.