The costs and benefits of water fluoridation in NZ.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Implementing community water fluoridation involves costs, but these need to be considered against the likely benefits. We aimed to assess the cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness of water fluoridation in New Zealand (NZ) in terms of expenditure and quality-adjusted life years.

Methods

Based on published studies, we determined the risk reduction effects of fluoridation, we quantified its health benefits using standardised dental indexes, and we calculated financial savings from averted treatment. We analysed NZ water supplies to estimate the financial costs of fluoridation. We devised a method to represent dental caries experience in quality-adjusted life years.

Results

Over 20 years, the net discounted saving from adding fluoride to reticulated water supplie

SUBMITTER: Moore D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5704512 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature