Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Commentary
  • Published:

The mystery of declining tooth decay

Large temporal reductions in tooth decay, which cannot be attributed to fluoridation, have been observed in both unfluoridated and fluoridated areas of at least eight developed countries over the past thirty years. It is now time for a scientific re-examination of the alleged enormous benefits of fluoridation.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Relevant articles

Open Access articles citing this article.

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. Murray, J. J. & Rugg-Gunn, A. J. Fluorides in Caries Prevention 2nd Edn (Wright, Bristol, 1982).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Kruger, B. J. Aust. J. Dent. 59, 162–166 (1955).

    Google Scholar 

  3. McEniery, T. M. & Davies, G. N. Community Dent. oral Epidem. 7, 42–50 (1979).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Lawson, J. S., Brown, J. H. & Oliver, T. I. Med. J. Aust. 1, 124–125 (1978).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Burton, V. J., Rob, M. I., Craig, G. C. & Lawson, J. S. Med. J. Aust. 140, 405–407 (1984).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Sutton, P. R. N. Med. J. Aust. 141, 394–395 (1984).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Barnard, P. D. NHMRC Spec. Rep. Ser. 8, 30–43 (National Health & Medical Research Council, Canberra, 1956).

    Google Scholar 

  8. Barnard, P. D., Clements, F. W. Int. dent. J. 26, 320–326 (1976).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Carr, L. M. Aust. dent. J. 28, 269–276 (1983).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Anderson, R. J., Bradnock, G. & James, P. M. C. Br. dent. J. 150, 278–281 (1981).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Kalsbeek, H. J. dent. Res. 61 (Special Issue), 1321–1326 (1982).

    Google Scholar 

  12. Colquhoun, J. Community Dent. Oral Epidemiol. 13, 37–41 (1985).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Dental Health Education & Research Foundation, News Release, Sydney, 15 December 1980.

  14. Barnard, P. D. Dent. Outlook 6(4), 46–47 (1980).

    Google Scholar 

  15. Martin, N. D. & Barnard, P. D. Dent. Outlook no. 23, 6–7 (May, 1970); no. 33, 2–3 (May, 1972); no. 41, 6–7 (December, 1973).

  16. Carr, L. M. Aust. dent. J. 21, 440–444, (1976).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Australia, Director-General of Health, Annual Report 1983–84, Table 69 (1984); Annual Report 1981–82, Table 66 (1982). Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.

  18. Carr, L. M. Aust. dent. J. 27, 169–175 (1982).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Anderson, R. J. Br. dent. J. 150, 354–355 (1981).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Rose, D. & Marier, J. R. Environmental Fluoride, 1977 (National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, 1977).

    Google Scholar 

  21. Waldbott, G. L., Burgstahler, A. W. & McKinney, H. L. Fluoridation: the Great Dilemma (Coronado, Lawrence, Kansas, 1978).

    Google Scholar 

  22. Tsutsui, T., Ide, K. & Maizumi, H. Mutat. Res. 140, 43–48 (1984).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Tsutsui, T., Suzuki, N., Ohmori, M. & Maizumi, H. Mutat. Res. 139, 193–198 (1984).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Tsutsui, T., Suzuki, N. & Ohmori, M. Cancer Res. 44, 938–941 (1984).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Diesendorf, M. Commun. Hlth Stud. 4, 224–230 (1980).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. McClure, F.J. (ed.) Fluoride Drinking Waters (US Department of Health, Education & Welfare, Public Health Service, Bethesda, Maryland, 1964).

  27. Amrit, T. & Joshi, J. L. Conference Int. Soc. Fluoride Res., New Delhi, November, Abstr. 15 (1983).

  28. Forsman, B. Commun. dent. Oral Epidem. 2, 132–148 (1974).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Imai, Y. Jap. J. Dent. Health 22, 144–196 (1972).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Zimmermann, E. R., Leone, N. C. & Arnold, F. A. J. Am. med. Ass. 50, 272–277 (1955).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Hewat, R. E. T. New Zealand dent. J. 45, 157–167 (1949).

    Google Scholar 

  32. Ziegelbecker, R. Fluoride 14, 123–128 (1981).

    Google Scholar 

  33. UK Dept of Health, Report No. 122, HMSO, London (1969).

  34. Sutton, P. R. N. Fluoridation: Errors and Omissions in Experimental Trials 2nd edn (Melbourne University Press, Melbourne, 1960).

    Google Scholar 

  35. Report of the Royal Commission into Fluoridation of Public Water Supplies (Government Printer, Hobart, Tasmania, 1968).

  36. Royal College of Physicians, Fluoride, Teeth and Health (Pitman Medical, London, 1976).

  37. Anderson, R. J., Bradnock, G., Beal, J. F. & James, P. M. C. J. dent. Res. 61 (Special Issue), 1311–1316 (1982).

    Google Scholar 

  38. Truin, G. J., Plasschaert, A. J.M., Konig, K. G. & Vogels, A. L. M. Commun. Dent. oral Epidem. 9, 55–60 (1981).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Koch, G. J. dent. Res. 61 (Special Issue), 1340–1345 (1982).

    Google Scholar 

  40. Glass, R. L. Caries Res. 15, 445–450 (1981).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. DePaola, P. F., Soparkar, P. M., Tavares, M., Allukian Jr, M. & Peterson, H. J. dent. Res. 61 (Special Issue), 1356–1360 (1982).

    Google Scholar 

  42. Leverett, D. H. Science 217, 26–30 (1982).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. James, P. M. C., Anderson, R. J., Beal, J. F. & Bradnock, G. Commun. Dent, oral Epidem. 5, 67–72 (1977).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Ekstrand, J. & Ehrnebo, M. Caries Res. 14, 96–102 (1980); Ekstrand, J. & Koch, G. J. Dent. Res. 59, 1067 (1980).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Lehner, T., Russell, M. W. & Caldwell, J. Lancet i, 995–997 (1980).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  46. McGhee, J. R. & Michalek, S. M. Am. Rev. Microbiol. 35, 595–638 (1981).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. Smith, G. E. Trends pharmac. Sci. (in the press).

  48. Newbrun, E. Science 217, 418–423 (1982).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Sheiham, A. Int. J. Epidemiol. 13, 142–147 (1984).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  50. Barrett, M. J. & Williamson, J. J. in Aust. dent. J. 17, 37–50 (1972).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  51. Brown, T. in Better Health for Aborigines (eds Hetzel, B. et al.) 97–101 (University of Queensland Press, Brisbane, 1974).

    Google Scholar 

  52. Australian Nutrition Foundation, Dent. Outlook 11(2), 47–51 (1985).

  53. Fejerskov, O., Antoft, P. & Gadegaard, E. J. dent. Res. 61 (Special Issue), 1305–1310 (1982).

    Google Scholar 

  54. von der Fehr, F. R. J. dent. Res. 61 (Special Issue), 1331–1335 (1982).

    Google Scholar 

  55. Mansson, B., Holm, A. K., Ollinen, I. & Grahnen, H. Swed. dent. J. 3, 193–203 (1979).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  56. Andlaw, R. J., Burchell, C. K. & Tucker, G. J. Caries Res. 16, 257–264 (1982).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  57. Mainwaring, P. J. & Naylor, N. M. J. dent. Res. 60, 1140 (1981).

    Google Scholar 

  58. Mitropoulos, C. M. & Worthington, H. V. J. dent. Res. 60, 1154(1981).

    Google Scholar 

  59. Downer, M. C. J. dent. Res. 61, 1336–1339 (1982).

    Google Scholar 

  60. Palmer, J. D. Br. dent. J. 149, 48–50 (1980).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  61. Anderson, R. J. Br dent. J. 150, 218–221 (1981).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  62. Zacherl, W. A. & Long, D. M. J. dent. Res. 58, 227 (1979).

    Google Scholar 

  63. Hewat, R. E. T. & Eastcott, D. F. Dental Caries in New Zealand, pp. 75–76, 79 (Medical Research Council of New Zealand, 1955).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Diesendorf, M. The mystery of declining tooth decay. Nature 322, 125–129 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1038/322125a0

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/322125a0

This article is cited by

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing