Biomedical subjects

G R Sterritt

Publications and source records attributed to G R Sterritt.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1996

The US experience with fluoridation.

This paper reviews the progress of the campaign for community water fluoridation in the United States, the current extent and impact of fluoridation, and lessons learned from the endeavour. Deliberate addition of fluoride to community water supplies to prevent dental caries began in 1945. At present, 62 per cent of the US population who could receive fluoridated water are doing so. A target has been set to achieve 75 per cent by the year 2000 and this target has already been achieved by 20 states and the District of Columbia. However, to achieve the objective nationally, at least an additional 30 million persons will have to receive fluoridated water. This will require considerable effort, including substantial public education and advocacy, as vigorous opposition to fluoridation continues to exist in the US. Lessons learned from the US experience include: 1) Fluoridation of community water supplies dramatically reduces the incidence and prevalence of dental caries. 2) The benefits of fluoridation for exceed the risks. 3) The benefits of fluoridation should be brought to more people around the world.

Child↗

PubMed1994

Evaluation of Guamanian dental caries preventive programs after 13 years.

OBJECTIVE: To address the high prevalence of dental caries in Guamanian children, a school-based fluoride mouthrinse program, a clinic-based pit and fissure sealant program, and community water fluoridation were phased in over a 13-year period. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the impact of these programs on the prevalence of dental caries. METHODS: Cross-sectional samples representative of schoolchildren in grades 1 through 8 were selected in 1976, 1979, 1984, 1986, and 1989. These years include the starting years for each of the three interventions and varying follow-up periods for each. About 1,000 children in each of the survey years were examined to derive DMF surface scores. RESULTS: After eight years of fluoride mouthrinsing, DMFS scores were reduced by 25.4 percent in 6-14-year-olds. With two additional years of fluoride mouthrinsing and with pit and fissure sealants, overall DMFS scores declined an additional 44.4 percent. In 1989, three years after community water fluoridation was initiated on the island and continuation of the other two programs, there was a further decline in overall DMFS scores of 34.5 percent. Over the entire study period--during which there were 13 years of fluoride mouthrinsing in the schools, five years of sealant application, and three years of community water fluoridation--DMFS scores declined 72.8 percent overall (5.14 surfaces per child) and 71.9, 71.0, and 78.8 percent for occlusal, buccal-lingual, and proximal surfaces, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: An intensified preventive dentistry program introduced on an island with high caries prevalence twice that of the US mainland was successful, and contributed to a reduction in the prevalence of caries to a level equivalent to that of the United States at the end of the study period.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1990

Evaluation of a school-based fluoride mouthrinsing and clinic-based sealant program on a non-fluoridated island.

For many years the children of Guam have experienced a high prevalence of dental caries. Surveys conducted on the fluoride-deficient island found that caries levels were double those of US mainland children. In 1976 a school-based fluoride mouthrinse program was initiated involving over 22,000 children in grades kindergarten through eight in weekly rinses with 0.2% neutral NaF. A clinic-based dental pit and fissure sealant program was added in 1984 to the fluoride mouthrinse program. Over 15,000 children participated annually in the sealant program where more than 75,000 teeth were sealed the first year. After 8 yr of fluoride mouthrinsing (1976-1984) mean DMFS scores were 1.79 surfaces per child lower compared to baseline, a decrease of 0.22 DMFS per child per year. During this period proximal DMFS scores decreased 61%, buccal-lingual surfaces 31%, and occlusal surfaces 7%. After 2 yr of fluoride mouthrinsing and sealant application combined overall DMFS scores decreased an additional 2.34 surfaces per child, a reduction of 1.17 DMFS per child per year. Most of this decline took place on pit and fissure surfaces. For the 10-yr period a reduction of 4.13 DMFS per child was seen--a decline from 7.06 DMF at baseline to 2.93 DMF surfaces per child in 1986. This long-term evaluation indicates that dental sealants when used in combination with fluoride mouthrinse were particularly effective in lowering the prevalence of dental caries. Schoolchildren in participating grades on Guam now have dental caries rates close to those of US schoolchildren.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1988

Evaluation of a clinic-based sealant program.

In 1984 a comprehensive sealant program was initiated for Guamanian children in grades one through eight. The goal of the program was to reduce caries rates in children on the fluoride-deficient island to a level at or below US mainland scores. At the initiation of the program, decayed, missing, and filled surfaces (DMFS) scores on Guam were approximately double those for US mainland children under 17 years of age. For the clinic-based preventive program, children in grades one through eight were bussed to one of two public health clinics for preventive services. These services included oral health education, toothbrushing instructions, and sealant application. Baseline and follow-up dental examinations (DMFS) were conducted in 1984 and 1986 on 1,061 and 987 children respectively, in grades one through eight to evaluate program impact. From 1984 to 1986, after the advent of a pit and fissure sealant program where over 15,000 children annually had sealants applied to their teeth, DMFS scores decreased 45 percent. The entire reduction in DMFS scores occurred on pitted and grooved surfaces and the effect reduced the DMFS by 2.4 surfaces/child in two years. The overall participation rate for both the elementary and middle schools was 80 percent and the first annual follow-up showed an overall sealant retention rate of 94 percent.

Adolescent↗