Prevention First: Why Dentistry Must Support Water Fluoridation
There are many different aspects to providing dental care. Some are urgent, some are cosmetic, and some are about repairing damage that has already been done.
But as a dental profession, we also have a responsibility to help the public avoid dental disease in the first place — even if, at times, it feels a little like turkeys voting for Christmas.
When I qualified, much of dentistry was about trying to stem the tide of disease. We spent our time drilling, filling, extracting, and surgically treating the consequences of decay and neglect.
At that time, we did not have today’s demand for clear aligners, dental implants, dermal fillers, 3D veneers, and tooth whitening — treatments that many patients now actively want and are often willing to pay for.
Yet the greatest need remains prevention.
We still need to promote a dental service that helps children avoid disease from the earliest possible age, supports families with clear advice, and reduces the amount of treatment people need later in life — especially when so many already struggle to access care.
That prevention begins before birth.
One of the most effective public health measures we can support is water fluoridation. It is a proven, population-wide approach that helps protect children’s teeth, particularly in communities where dental disease is most common.
This is part of my story: after 40 years in dentistry, I believe we must do more to prevent disease rather than simply manage the consequences.
If you have the opportunity to promote prevention, please support the work of the British Fluoridation Society.
We need to champion one of the great public health success stories — for the benefit of all our children.
Learn more here:
https://bfsweb.org/home/about-bfs/
