Fluoride and health: dental caries, osteoporosis, and cardiovascular disease.

Water fluoridation is the preferred method of caries prevention. It should be promoted wherever technically feasible, whereas fluoridation of other vehicles, such as salt, milk, and sugar, should be considered (18) where no reticulated water supplies exist, as in many developing communities where caries prevalence is increasing sharply (7). Fluoride treatment of osteoporosis results in tangible improvement, but its pharmacological basis is incompletely understood and therapeutic doses are not tolerated indefinitely or by all patients. Epidemiological studies are needed to examine further the possible benefits of optimal fluoridation in relation to the prevalence off osteoporosis and heart disease.