Fluoride and dental health.

Studies conducted under the widest variety of controlled conditions attest to the safety, efficacy, and cost benefits of fluoridation. A program that combines the use of systemic and topical fluoride results in maximum benefits. The author of this article reviews the metabolism of fluoride and its mechanism of action, and discusses practical modes of employing fluoride in caries prevention with special emphasis on the use of fluoride supplements for infants and young children in areas of non-fluoridated water. The author also discusses the factors responsible for the dramatic decline in caries prevalence in the industrialized nations.