Water fluoridation

Message from the Chief Health Officer

Oral health is fundamental to overall health, wellbeing and quality of life. A healthy mouth enables people to eat, speak and socialise without pain, discomfort or embarrassment.

Tooth decay is a disease which affects both children and adults, and can cause considerable pain and suffering. When severe, tooth decay can affect appearance, self-esteem and social interaction, and it can also make it difficult to speak and chew. Treating tooth decay can be costly, in terms of time and money. Some people, especially children, need a general anaesthetic to have their tooth decay treated.  

Water fluoridation helps protect teeth against decay, and is the most effective way of allowing everybody access to the benefits of fluoride.

Scientific studies have shown that water fluoridation is a safe and effective way to reduce tooth decay, even though there is widespread use of fluoridated toothpaste. In Australia, children living in optimally fluoridated areas experience considerably less tooth decay than those in areas without optimal fluoridation.

This website reflects new guidelines on the use of fluorides in Australia, new Australian data and policy directions in Healthy mouths healthy lives: Australia’s National Oral Health Plan 2004–13 and the most recent endorsement of water fluoridation by the World Health Organization and Australia’s National Health and Medical Research Council.

Ninety per cent of Victorians now drink water with either naturally-occurring or added fluoride. Water fluoridation is an effective, inexpensive and socially equal way to reduce tooth decay in children and adults.

Dr John Carnie

Chief Health Officer, Victoria

Links:

• Community Information
  A snapshot of current information and links to detailed fact sheets
• Information in other languages
  Information about protecting teeth throughout life is available in seven languages
• Water fluoridation, question and answer
  Detailed information addressing commonly asked questions about water fluoridation
• Water fluoridation at a glance - Consumer information booklet
  Water fluoridation helps protect teeth throughout life booklet and quick fluoride facts
• Information for health professionals
  A broad overview of the value of water fluoridation based on the overall weight of scientific evidence
• Water fluoridation in Victoria and Australia
  A current update of progress in Victoria
• Fluoride by postcode
  Search by postcode or suburb to find out if drinking water is fluoridated
• Contacts for further information
  Contacts to Victoria's Department of Health and links to national and international organisations
• Code of practice for fluoridation of drinking water supplies
  Guidance for water businesses.
• The use of fluorides in Australia: guidelines
  This document was developed by the Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health and published in the Australian Dental Journal in 2006.

Specific fact sheets

•  Fluoride concentration in Australia's drinking water
•  Water fluoridation: Community Information
•  Young infants, infant formula and fluoride exposure
  
•  Advice for non fluoridated communities