title: Effectiveness of fluoride in preventing caries in adults.
abstract: To date, no systematic reviews have found fluoride to be effective in preventing dental caries in adults. The objective of this meta-analysis was to examine the effectiveness of self- and professionally applied fluoride and water fluoridation among adults. We used a random-effects model to estimate the effect size of fluoride (absolute difference in annual caries increment or relative risk ratio) for all adults aged 20+ years and for adults aged 40+ years. Twenty studies were included in the final body of evidence. Among studies published after/during 1980, any fluoride (self- and professionally applied or water fluoridation) annually averted 0.29 (95%CI: 0.16-0.42) carious coronal and 0.22 (95%CI: 0.08-0.37) carious root surfaces. The prevented fraction for water fluoridation was 27% (95%CI: 19%-34%). These findings suggest that fluoride prevents caries among adults of all ages.
authors: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/Division of Oral Health, 4770 Buford Highway, MSF10, Chamblee, GA 30341, USA. sig1@cdc.gov
authors: S O
authors: SO
authors: Griffin
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Regnier
authors: P M
authors: PM
authors: Griffin
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Huntley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005457:Fluoridation; D005459:Fluorides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D005459:Fluorides