Biomaterial Database

[Water fluoridation as a public health measure. A sociopolitical perspective]. 1990

J E Hartshorne, and I L Carstens

Departement van Gemeenskapstandheelkunde, Universiteit van Stellenbosch, Parowvallei.

This review provides a perspective on water fluoridation as a public health measure and the sociopolitical disputes preventing its implementation. Notwithstanding its world-wide recognition as a safe, efficient and cost-effective public health measure, water fluoridation has increasingly found itself in the sociopolitical arena. Factors responsible for preventing the implementation of water fluoridation include public sensitivity, anti-fluoridation campaigns, negative reporting by the media, public debates and lack of professional involvement. Successful implementation of water fluoridation can only be achieved by a purposeful national strategy, active communication and involvement by all concerned.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D011057	Politics	Activities concerned with governmental policies, functions, etc.	Political Activity,Conservatism,Decentralization,Liberalism,Political Factors,Activities, Political,Activity, Political,Factor, Political,Factors, Political,Political Activities,Political Factor
D011634	Public Health	Branch of medicine concerned with the prevention and control of disease and disability, and the promotion of physical and mental health of the population on the international, national, state, or municipal level.	Community Health,Environment, Preventive Medicine & Public Health,Environment, Preventive Medicine and Public Health,Health, Community,Health, Public
D005457	Fluoridation	Practice of adding fluoride to water, and other food or beverages, for the purpose of preventing DENTAL CARIES.	Milk Fluoridation,Salt Fluoridation,Water Fluoridation,Fluoridation, Milk,Fluoridation, Salt,Fluoridation, Water
D012927	Social Control, Informal	Those forms of control which are exerted in less concrete and tangible ways, as through folkways, mores, conventions, and public sentiment.	Informal Social Control,Control, Informal Social,Controls, Informal Social,Informal Social Controls,Social Controls, Informal