fluoride-publications

Fluoridation in New Zealand
Resources and publications

New Zealand publications

Guidelines for the Use of Fluorides (2009)
Fluoride is an important contributor to the prevention of dental caries. Only approximately half of the New Zealand population has access to fluoridated tap water and some people receiving fluoridated tap water remain at risk of increased dental caries. Guidelines for discretionary use of topical fluoride toothpastes, fluoride treatments and fluoride tablets are needed to complement policy on water fluoridation. Guidance for the health sector is provided in the "Guidelines for the Use of Fluorides

Lee and Dennison. 2004. Water fluoridation and dental caries in 5 and 12 year old children from Canterbury and Wellington. New Zealand Dental Journal.

This study analysed dental health records for 8375 five-year-olds, and 7158 12-year-olds from Canterbury and Wellington. Even after taking into account water fluoridation status (96 percent of Wellington residents receive fluoridated water compared with 4 percent of Canterbury residents) and the decile of the school the children attended, Mäori and Pacific children had worse oral health than other children.

Analysis also showed that water fluoridation had a significant effect in improving oral health, and that this improvement was greater for groups with poorer oral health, such as Maori and Pacific children, and children attending low decile schools.

Overall, decay rates were 30 percent lower among five-year-old children receiving fluoridated water and 40 percent lower among 12-year-olds.

PHC. 1994. Water Fluoridation in New Zealand. PHC.

ESR. 1999. The Cost Effectiveness of Fluoridating Water Supplies in New Zealand. A report for the New Zealand Ministry of Health A report for the New Zealand Ministry of Health. Wellington: Ministry of Health.

PHAC. Improving Child Oral Health and Reducing Child Oral Health Inequalities. Report to the Minister of Health from the Public Health Advisory Committee. Wellington: Ministry of Health.

Identification and Assessment of Factors Impacting Upon Council Decision-Making in Relation to Fluoridation of Public Drinking-Water Supplies (September 2002)
This report contributes to the Ministry of Health's fluoridation policy by identifying and assessing the importance of factors impacting on local body decision-making on the fluoridation of public drinking water supplies.

Fluoridation of water supplies: an evaluation of the epidemiological evidence (September 2000)
Prepared as part of a Ministry of Health contract for scientific services (Project PH1h)

A comprehensive report on water fluoridation published by the New Zealand Public Health Commission (PHC) in 1994 dealt, in part, with the evidence for possible health risks associated with fluoridation.

The purpose of this report was to update the section of the earlier report that dealt with potential adverse effects of fluoridation, with particular focus on epidemiological studies.

Fluoride and Oral Health
The purpose of this paper is to provide advice to the Minister of Health on a strategy: to improve and protect the oral health of New Zealanders through the appropriate use of fluorides.

The main emphasis of the paper is on health education strategies to promote the appropriate use of fluorides in New Zealand.

Related information

Ministry of Health publications

Sanitary Works Subsidary Scheme

DHB toolkit on oral health