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Super-Foods Help Build Super-Smiles

Calcium-fortified bread? Fluoride-fortified bottled water? A few years ago, one could find these products only in specialty health food stores. Today, they line the shelves of grocery stores across the nation-and the fortified phenomenon may be going "global".

According to a new study in the November-December 2001 General Dentistry, the clinical, peer-reviewed journal of the Academy of General Dentistry, rice is now being highlighted as a unique and cost-effective way to help introduce fluoride to the diets of people in part of the world that are not exposed to centralized and fluoridated water supplies.

The study cites that the addition of low concentrations of fluoride ion to the diet has proven to help reduce cavities for many communities around the world.
"If cost-effective, this study highlights an exciting opportunity to help aid countries and promote proper nutrition for increased oral and overall health," says Gordon Isbell, III, DMD, MAGD, spokesperson for the Academy of General Dentistry.
The United States has responded to the dietary need for fluoride by fluoridating public water supplies in more than 10,000 communities since the 1940's. In these areas, researchers and dentists conclude that the fluoridation process has aided in the prevention of cavities evident mostly in children.

The principle behind fortifying rice abroad and public water in the U.S. is the same-both seek to add a safe level of fluoride to effectively deter cavities.
According to Dr. Isbell, the likely reason new fortified foods are on the market today is because of consumer demand.

"Many parents are now seeing the ill-effects of giving their children only bottled-water. Their kids are coming in with six and seven cavities, I believe as a direct result from inadequate amounts of fluoride in the diet," says Dr. Isbell. "Now parents who feel best about giving their kids bottled-water have an option with fluoridated bottled-water, which I recommend."

The best advice for parents concerned with a child getting too much fluoride or calcium in the diet is to monitor a child's intake and use of these nutrients and consult with your family dentist or physician if you have any questions.

CONTACT: Susan Urbanczyk, public relations manager, at 312.440.4308 or media@agd.org or Jennifer Starkey, public relations coordinator, at 312.440.4341 or media@agd.org.

NOTE: Information that appears in General Dentistry, the AGD's peer-reviewed journal, AGD Impact, the AGD's newsmagazine and related press releases do not necessarily reflect the endorsement of the AGD.