More than half of US teens have had at least one cavity, but fluoride programs in schools help prevent them – new research

Programs delivering fluoride varnish in schools significantly reduce cavities in children. That is a key finding of our recently published study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Fluoride varnish is a liquid that is applied to the teeth by a trained provider to reduce cavities. It does not require special dental devices and can be applied quickly in various settings.

Our research team found that school fluoride varnish programs, implemented primarily in communities with…