About 400,000 more New Zealanders have gained access to fluoridated community drinking water, which will result in less tooth decay, less tooth pain and fewer trips to hospital for children in those communities.
In 2022, the Director-General of Health directed 14 local authorities to fluoridate community drinking water supplies. Since then, supported with Ministry of Health funding, nine of those local authorities have fluoridated water supplies to about 400,000 people.
Today, 20 March, is World Oral Health Day, which is focused on reducing the burden of oral diseases that affect individuals, health systems and economies globally.
Ministry of Health Oral Health Chief Advisor Dr Riana Clarke says dental decay remains the most common chronic disease among New Zealanders, with children particularly at risk.
'By the time they start school, 47% of New Zealand children will already be experiencing tooth decay. This decay can result in severe pain, lost sleep, failure to thrive, time off school and, in some instances, hospitalisation,' says Dr Clarke.
'Tooth decay is the leading cause of avoidable hospital treatment for children in New Zealand. This means some children are required to go under general anesthesia to have teeth extracted, fillings or crowns done.'
Water fluoridation is one of the most effective and affordable measures for preventing dental decay and has been used safely in New Zealand for more than 60 years.
'Fluoride in drinking water acts like a constant repair kit that neutralises the effect of acids that cause tooth decay and helps to repair damage before it becomes permanent. For individuals, this means less pain and trips to the dentist, and for health services it means freeing up hospital and dental resources for others.'
Water fluoridation is endorsed by the World Health Organization and professional dental associations in New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom.
'Community fluoridation is an important building block in creating good overall health for our kids across their lifetime. Good oral health means children are free from pain and from other related health problems allowing them to better participate in all the things children enjoy doing as they grow, including learning. It provides continuous protection and requires no behavioural change ensuring that our children get the best start.'
Oral health in New Zealand: the facts
- In 2023, over 8000 children aged between 0 and 14 years of age underwent hospital dental treatment for tooth decay.
- One in ten New Zealand children under-14 have had at least one tooth removed due to decay, abscess or infection.
- While using fluoride toothpaste can help prevent tooth decay, more than a third of children do not brush their teeth or do not brush them twice a day.
- Water fluoridation is estimated to lead to 40% lower lifetime incidence of tooth decay among children and adolescents and a 48% reduction in hospital. admissions for the treatment of tooth decay among children aged 0-4 years
- These benefits extended into adulthood, with water fluoridation leading to an estimated 21% reduction in tooth decay among adults aged 18-44 years and 30% reduction in adults aged 45 and over.
- It is estimated that every dollar spent on water fluoridation will result in $9 saved in dental care costs.
- Less than 60% of New Zealanders have access to fluoridated drinking water supplies.
A full list of local authorities that have begun fluoridating some or all of their water supplies since 2022, and those that were also directed to fluoridate at this time but are yet to begin, can also be found on the Ministry of Health website.
To ensure we are continuing to act on the latest high-quality evidence, the Ministry also published an evidence review on community water fluoridation in December 2024. This can also be found on the Ministry website.
