title: Water fluoridation as a public health measure.
abstract: Water fluoridation schemes have been used as dental public health measures for over 50 years. This second paper in a series of three aims to provide a background to the history of water fluoridation schemes and the evidence base that led to their implementation. The article will also discuss the processes and chemicals involved in fluoridation during water treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This article aims to provide a summary for general practitioners of the history and evidence base for water fluoridation, to enable them to understand the role of water fluoridation in caries prevention and to be able to answer non-clinical questions raised by patients.
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, The University of Manchester, Higher Cambridge Street, Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: McGrady
authors.forename: Roger P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Ellwood
authors.forename: Iain A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Pretty
mesh_terms: D055094:Evidence-Based Dentistry; D005457:Fluoridation / Q000266:history / Q000379:methods; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D011634:Public Health; D006113:United Kingdom