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Biomedical subjects

J J Clarkson

Publications and source records attributed to J J Clarkson.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

Role of fluoride in oral health promotion.

Fluoride has played a pivotal role in oral health promotion over the past 50 years. This paper reviews key issues currently impacting on the role of fluoride in preventing dental caries. The understanding of the process of dental caries and the mode of action of fluoride has changed in recent years. Dental caries is a continuous process of demineralisation and remineralization of the enamel and fluoride plays a key role in this process through its action at the plaque enamel interface. It is now accepted that the primary mode of action of fluoride is post-eruptive. The post-eruptive action of fluoride has resulted in new methods of delivering fluoride. The paper discusses the impact of these new methods of delivering fluoride on total fluoride intake in children and on the prevalence of dental fluorosis. The role of different methods of delivering fluoride both on a community and individual basis is presented and recommendations are outlined.

Cariostatic Agents↗

Prevalence of enamel defects/fluorosis in fluoridated and non-fluoridated areas in Ireland.

Water fluoridation was introduced in Ireland in 1964 and in recent years the availability of fluoride from other sources had increased. As part of a National Survey of Children's Health in Ireland Dean's and the DDE indices were used to determine the prevalence of enamel fluorosis/defects in 8- and 15-yr-old children in fluoridated and non-fluoridated areas. Over 94% of the children examined in all areas were regarded as having normal enamel, as defined by Dean's index, the remainder showing evidence of either questionable, very mild or mild fluorosis. Between 52% and 63% of the children had one or more teeth affected by enamel defects when measured by the DDE index. The prevalence of enamel fluorosis/defects was similar in children living in fluoridated and non-fluoridated areas but the prevalence of diffuse opacities (DDE) was higher in the fluoridated areas.

Adolescent↗

Edentulousness in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Surveys of adult (16 yr and over) dental health were conducted in England/Wales and Scotland (n = 5967) and in Ireland (n = 1764) and Northern Ireland (n = 1176) in 1979. From the results of these surveys a comparison is made between levels of edentulousness, attendance patterns, attitude to loss of teeth and the wearing of full dentures. Scotland had the highest level of edentulousness (39%) and Ireland the lowest (26%). England/Wales had a level of 29% and Northern Ireland 33%. The percentage edentulous increased considerably ith age and females had a higher level of edentulousness than males. Regular attendance at the dentist was lowest in Ireland and in all countries there was a greater preference for filling rather than extraction of teeth. Levels of edentulousness do not appear to be directly related to any of the parameters investigated.

Adolescent↗