Overview

• The Cochrane Collaboration report found only slight reductions in tooth decay from water fluoridation compared to past decades.
• Fluoride toothpaste, now widely available, has diminished the relative benefits of fluoridated water since the 1970s.
• Concerns about fluoride's potential impact on children's intellectual development have led to calls for stricter EPA regulations.
• Studies suggest that contemporary water fluoridation may lead to modest reductions in tooth decay, but the benefits are less pronounced than before.
• Major health organizations continue to support water fluoridation as part of a broader strategy to combat dental decay.