Grant: Applied Public Health Chair

Oral health is an important part of overall health. Oral health problems in childhood can influence well-being throughout the life course. More than half of Canadian children are affected by caries (tooth decay). Surgery for caries is currently the leading reason for day surgery among children under age six in Canada. Caries are generally preventable, and one means of prevention is fluoridation of drinking water. However, an increasing number of Canadian cities are opting to stop fluoridating their drinking water ("fluoridation cessation"). Fluoridation cessation may have important implications for oral health; however, research is extremely limited. In particular, there is only very limited knowledge about the impact of fluoridation cessation on children's oral health, what attitudes members of the public hold about fluoridation and fluoridation cessation, and how decisions are made about fluoridation cessation. This program of research aims to fill these knowledge gaps. Research findings will be important in terms of identifying the best ways to improve oral health in the population, especially because dental health is not included as part of our health care system. This research involves a collaboration between the University of Calgary and the Provincial Oral Health Office at Alberta Health Services.