Fluoride in the media: a review of newspaper articles from 1999 to 2009.

UNLABELLED: The effects of fluoride are regularly discussed in newspapers. This paper reviews this coverage over a ten-year period and compares the content with contemporary scientific evidence. The reporting used in a sample of daily newspapers when the subject of fluoride and its effects were mentioned was analysed and factual statements within the articles were compared with contemporary scientific studies, to assess the accuracy of reporting. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Practitioners may face questions from patients regarding the evidence base for the safety and efficacy of the use of fluoride in dentistry.