Dr. Angeles Martinez Mier speaks about evidence on the effectiveness of fluorides

Dr. John O’Keefe, Director of Knowledge Networks at the Canadian Dental Association, interviewed Dr. Angeles Martinez Mier about water fluoridation safety, effectiveness, and value in oral health care. Dr. Martinez Mier was a panelist during the recent IADR symposium on water fluoridation (March 2014)

Listen to the audio interview

Key Messages

• Most reviews show that fluoride, the way it is currently used it and in its different vehicles is effective and safe. However, some of the calculations that were done in those reviews and studies need to be updated. 
• Fluoride has a well understood evidence-based proven therapeutic effect. At the same time, it has some undesirable effects; therefore, we must remain vigilant and update the evidence to be able to provide the public with the right information on the benefits of fluoride.
• The dental community must remain critical, examining every piece of information and evidence that is published about fluoride in order to find the evidence that will allow to optimize fluoride effects and minimize its secondary non-desirable effects.  

Dr. Angeles Martinez Mier, DDS, MSD, PhD

Dr. Martínez Mier is an Associate Professor in the Department of Preventive and Community Dentistry at Indiana University School of Dentistry. She serves as interim chair of her department, director of the Division of Community Dentistry and the Binational/Cross-Cultural Health Enhancement Center. She is a member of the International Association of Dental Research, the American Dental Education Association, the Hispanic Dental Association, the American Association of Public Health Dentistry, and the European Organization for Caries Research. She has served as an officer within these organizations in several different capacities. She has also served as a consultant and reviewer to many national and international organizations including the NIDCR, HRSA, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Environmental Protections Agency (EPA) and the American Dental Association (ADA).