Review Article

Year : 2021 | Volume : 8 | Issue : 2 | Page : 79 - 81

Therapeutic Application of Fluoride Varnish

M. Indumathy, Hamrith Hari

Department of Public Health and Dentistry, Balaji Dental College and Hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Address for correspondence:

Dr. M. Indumathy,

Department of Public Health Dentistry, Balaji Dental College and Hospital, Pallikaranai, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.

E‐mail: indupandiyan1995@gmail.com

Abstract

Fluoride is the safest, economical, and effective tool for the prevention of dental caries. Food and Drug Administration has listed fluoride as an essential nutrient for human health. The World Health Organization (WHO) expert committee has included fluoride in its list of 14 trace elements that are essential for normal growth and development. Approximately half the population of the USA is consuming optimally fluoridated water since 1980 and countries like the UK, New Zealand, and Australia are protected by water fluoridation. In India, the preventive measures are not so effective and the caries incidence is still on the rise. The average DMFT in India by the age of 15 years is about 3. This high incidence could also be attributed to a low dentist–population ratio of 1:80,000 in India. According to WHO, the DMFT of 2 by the age of 15 should cause alarm. The answer for this health problem is prevention. Although many measures are available, the best option is to use systemic and topical fluorides. Approximately 5% of the population lives in endemic fluoride areas and 3% lives in optimal fluoride areas. About 85%–90% of the population lives in fluoride deficient areas and preventive measures should be directed toward this segment of the population. The use of fluoride in communal water supply and dentifrices does not interfere with normal oral hygiene measures. Fluorides in dentifrices had led to the decrease in the incidence of dental caries in the US, UK and Scandinavia.

Keywords: Dental caries, fluoride varnish, remineralization

Financial support and sponsorship

Nil.

Conflicts of interest

There are no conflicts of interest.

How to cite this article:

Indumathy M, Hari H. Therapeutic application of fluoride varnish. Int J Community Dent 2021;9:79-81.