UB dental experts available to discuss fluoride and impact of water fluoridation on public health and safety

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Water fluoridation has been recognized as one of the 10 greatest public health interventions of the 20th century. Despite its proven benefits, debates about its safety and necessity persist. The controversy surrounding fluoride often arises from misinformation or a lack of understanding about its benefits.

Two faculty experts from the University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine — Marcelo Araujo, dean and professor, and Marcelle Nascimento, director of cariology and assistant dean for clinical research — can provide credible, science-based insights into this important topic.

In particular, they are available to discuss:

• The science behind fluoride. Decades of research demonstrate that fluoride plays a critical role in preventing tooth decay and promoting dental health. Fluoride prevents the formation of new cavities and can reverse early-stage tooth decay. Scientific evidence consistently shows that fluoride, when consumed in appropriate amounts, is safe and highly beneficial, with the benefits far outweighing the risks.
  
• Public health and safety. Community water fluoridation is one of the most rigorously tested and monitored public health practices. In the United States, water fluoridation is regulated and guided by multiple federal agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as state and local authorities, to ensure its safety. Fluoride levels are carefully maintained well below thresholds that could pose harm. Claims that regulated levels of fluoride are unsafe lack credible scientific evidence.
  
• Oral health equity. Water fluoridation is a cost-effective and equitable measure that benefits entire communities, particularly those at higher risk for tooth decay. It plays a critical role in reducing oral health disparities, particularly for vulnerable populations, including children, low-income families, and individuals in rural areas with limited access to dental care.

Araujo is an internationally recognized clinical researcher and epidemiologist with extensive experience in clinical care, research, health care business and health care science. He has served in leadership positions within the pharmaceutical industry and at top nonprofit dental organizations.

Nascimento is internationally renowned for her scholarly and scientific contributions to cariology (the study of tooth decay), oral microbiology and operative dentistry. She currently serves as president of the American Academy of Cariology.