About AFT

Department of Global Oral Health
College of Dental Sciences
Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre

Department of Global
Oral Health

About Affordable Fluoride Toothpaste (AFT)

Caries reduction by fluoride is best achieved when applied topically. Fluoride toothpaste is an efficient delivery system for fluoride, particularly when it is used twice a day for toothbrushing. Fluoridating water is a possible population wide approach but implementation depends on a country's infrastructure and political will. The distribution of fluoride worldwide is best accomplished through fluoride toothpaste. The addition of fluoride to toothpaste meets less public concern than addition of fluoride to drinking water. Overwhelming evidence exists regarding the anti-caries efficacy of twice daily toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste (Marinho et al., Cochrane review 2003). The above considerations lead to the conclusion that fluoride toothpaste is the anti-caries measure of choice for most countries.

Promotion of daily oral hygiene with fluoride toothpaste is a first requirement according to the BPOC concept, together with an advocacy process to establish a market with affordable and effective fluoride toothpaste that is available for the population. Such an approach is not just a theoretical consideration but is even feasible in low income countries. Due to an advocacy process, low cost and effective fluoride toothpaste became available in Nepal which resulted in a dramatic decline of caries in children.
Toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste should start at an early age, since the sooner parents start to brush their child's teeth with fluoride toothpaste, the less caries the child will experience at the age of 5 years.