In the developed western world the drinking water is fluoridated with the belief that it would prevent Dental Caries. Instead, Dental Caries and Dental Fluorosis co-exist in the same population where the drinking water is naturally contaminated with fluoride. The incidence of Dental Caries and Dental Fluorosis co-exist when drinking water fluoride content is above 0.5 ppm and that is the observation in India and many other countries.

The data reported in Table 3 & 4 supports the above statement. Increase in fluoride content in water has no beneficial effects and the incidence of Dental Caries remains the same.

Table - 3
Case Study 1:      Incidence of Dental Fluorosis vs Dental Caries in Salem district
of Tamil Nadu in South India

Source of Information: 
B.P. Rajan and N. Gnanasundaram, Madras Dental college, Tamil Nadu 1989.(Report: Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India 1989)

Table - 4
Case Study 2:                   Incidence of Dental Fluorosis vs Dental Caries in Dharmapuri district
in Tamil Nadu in South India