Dental Caries and Fluoretation of Public Supply Waters: The Reality of Northern Brazil

Abstract

The aim of this study is to carry out a literature review covering conceptual and epidemiological aspects associated with dental caries disease in Northern Brazil. A survey of specialized literature was carried out in the SciELO, PubMed, Virtual Health Library, and Google Scholar databases, using the following descriptors: fluoride, fluoridation, dental caries, and epidemiology. Dental caries is a chronic and multifactorial disease, influenced by the human diet and by social, economic, cultural, and behavioral determinants. There is a disparity in oral health when comparing the poorest regions of Brazil, with a lack of fluoridation of water for human consumption.