Fluoride therapy is the medical use of fluoride, most often as a liquid, pill or paste taken by mouth, to prevent tooth decay in children older than six months living in areas where the drinking water is naturally low in fluoride, and it has also been used to treat certain bone diseases. Fluoride decreases the breakdown of teeth by acids, promotes remineralization of tooth enamel and reduces the activity of decay-causing bacteria, working primarily through direct contact with the teeth, most often in the form of sodium fluoride, though stannous fluoride is also used. Fluoride came into use to prevent tooth decay in the 1940s and is included on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines, though relatively high ingestion by babies and children can cause fluorosis, ranging from faint white marks to, in severe cases, browning and weakening of the teeth.
Facts
Origin YearCited to the water fluoridation article: the first community water fluoridation trial, Grand Rapids, Michigan, begun 25 January 1945. Connections
Associated With
Fluoride therapy is a preventive public health and dental measure.
Sources
1. Wikipedia
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationWater fluoridation - History section
To test the hypothesis that adding fluoride would prevent cavities, Dean and his colleagues conducted a controlled experiment by fluoridating the water in Grand Rapids, Michigan, starting 25 January 1945.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluoride_therapy, lead section
Fluoride therapy is the use of fluoride for medical purposes.
View the Source Frequently Asked Questions
How was water fluoridation first tested to see if it prevented cavities
Dean and colleagues tested it with a controlled experiment, fluoridating the water supply of Grand Rapids, Michigan, starting 25 January 1945.
Fluoride therapy is the medical use of fluoride, most often as a liquid, pill or paste taken by mouth, to prevent tooth decay, decreasing the breakdown of teeth by acids, promoting remineralization of tooth enamel and reducing the activity of decay causing bacteria. To test the hypothesis that adding fluoride would prevent cavities, Dean and colleagues conducted a controlled experiment by fluoridating the water supply of Grand Rapids, Michigan, starting 25 January 1945.
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