water fluoridation

English - English

Definition of water fluoridation in English English dictionary: adding fluoride to water for increasing the health of teeth
fluoridation of drinking water: addition of fluoride to drinking water in order to reduce tooth decay
fluoridation of water: Addition of fluoride compounds to water (see fluorine) at one part per million to reduce dental caries (cavities). This practice is based on the lower rates of caries seen in areas with moderate natural fluoridation of water and on studies showing that sound teeth contain more fluoride than cavity-prone teeth and that fluorides help prevent or reduce dental caries. Fluoridation decreases the number of decayed, missing, and filled teeth in children (which increases if fluoridation is stopped), but it has provoked controversy in some cases. Excess fluoride may cause tooth mottling (a problem of appearance only) and, in higher doses, bone abnormalities. Fluoridation also helps prevent rickets in infants and children and helps the thyroid maintain a normal basal metabolic rate

water fluoridation

Hyphenation

wa·ter fluo·ri·da·tion

wôtır flôrıdeyşın

/ˈwôtər ˌflôrəˈdāsʜən/ /ˈwɔːtɜr ˌflɔːrəˈdeɪʃən/

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