Community water fluoride cessation and rate of caries-related pediatric dental treatments under general anesthesia in Alberta, Canada

This study examined the rate of caries-related dental treatments under general anesthesia (GA) in fluoridated and non-fluoridated communities in Alberta, Canada, between 2010 and 2019.

This retrospective, population-based study included all children ( \(<\) $<$ 12 years of age) living in Calgary (non-fluoridated) and Edmonton (fluoridated) who underwent caries-related dental treatments under GA at publicly funded facilities. Demographics and dental data were extracted from health administrative databases for three time periods of 2010/11 (pre-cessation), 2014/15, and 2018/19 (post-cessation).

Among 2659 children receiving caries-related treatments under GA, the mean (SD) and median (IQR) age were 4.8 (2.3) and 4 (3–6) years, respectively, and 65% resided in the non-fluoridated area. The analysis revealed that the cessation of water fluoridation was significantly associated with an increased rate of caries-related GA events per 10,000 children in both age groups (0–5 and 6–11 years), with a more pronounced effect in 0–5-year-olds in non-fluoridated areas. The risk of dental treatments under GA was also positively associated with post-cessation time.

Discontinuing water fluoridation appears to negatively affect young children’s oral health, potentially leading to a significant increase in caries-related dental treatments under GA and oral health disparities in this pediatric population.