A photographic study of enamel defects among South Australian school children

Colour photographs were taken of the anterior teeth of 1757 consenting 8–9 year old primary school children in fluoridated and non‐fluoridated areas of South Australia. Children with a lifelong exposure to fluoridated water were significantly more likely to have blemished permanent incisor teeth than the children who had never resided in a fluoridated area. Children who resided in a non‐fluoridated area but had taken fluoride supplements at some stage in their first five years had a prevalence of enamel blemishes equivalent to those of children in fluoridated areas of the State.