Resumo

ANJOS, Gilbert Angel Silva dos  e  FERNANDES, Grasiele Fretta. Fluoridation of public water supplies in the state of Pernambuco: a historical background. Odontol. Clín.-Cient. (Online) [online]. 2015, vol.14, n.1, pp. 559-564. ISSN 1677-3888.

Water fluoridation is an effective measure to reduce tooth decay and the use of fluoride in public water supply is considered to be the main deciding factor to obtain a reduction in the prevalence of the disorder. Despite that water fluoridation is mandatory in Brazil since 1974, several large cities do not fluoride its waters, and in the case of the state of Pernambuco, its totality. The decision not to fluoridate, in most cases, is determined by the lack of political will, claiming lack of financial resources to perform the action. However, in view of high efficiency, low relative cost and great social benefits of this policy, such decisions are not justified. The objectives of this study are to identify the coverage of fluoridation in Pernambuco, to rescue historical aspects of fluoridation of public water supplies in the state and perform a literature review about the benefits of the measure, in the period between the years 1974 and 2013. This is exploratory research literature developed through literature review and document analysis. The study showed that currently there are no arguments, being they technical, political or budgetary, which justify not to fluoridate public water supply in the state of Pernambuco.

Palavras-chave : Fluoridation; Water supply; Water quality..