Investigating infant fluoride intake in north-west England

Despite dental caries being a preventable disease, it remains a major public health concern. The delivery of fluoride, either topically or systemically, can greatly reduce a patient's caries risk. Fluoride has both pre- and post-eruptive effects, which act to reduce the risk of dental caries. Teeth exposed to systemic fluoride prior to eruption have shallower cusps, rounder fissures and are less acid soluble, hence making them more resistant to dental caries.

Once erupted, fluoride combats dental caries primarily by the formation of fluorapatite via remineralisation of enamel. In addition, fluoride can reduce the rate of demineralisation in the caries process and has also been shown to decrease the production of caries causing acid by the plaque. However, the use of fluoride does not come without risks; excessive intake during dental development can lead to fluorosis, which can have significant aesthetic complications. For this reason, it is important to limit exposure to fluoride particularly in young children when enamel formation is occurring in both the primary and permanent dentitions.