KNOWLEDGE, PERCEPTION AND BEHAVIOR OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC CONCERNING THE ADDITION OF FLUORIDE IN DRINKING-WATER

A telephone survey was carried out in 1994, in the Quebec City region, among 1006 people living in two municipalities where tap water is flu oridated and 1003 people living in two municipalities where there is n o fluoridation. Knowledge of the main benefit associated with the use of fluoride (prevention of tooth decay) in drinking water was not diff erent in fluorated versus non-fluoridated municipalities (20.4% vs 19. 4%, p = 0.57). Knowledge of its main disadvantage (increase of dental fluorosis) was very low and similar in both groups (3.1% vs 2,0%, p = 0.11). Opposition to fluoridation was slightly higher in fluoridated a reas (22.0% vs 18.3%, p = 0.04), and the use of fluoridated supplement s for children was much less important in fluoridated areas (4.4% vs 1 2.4%, p = 0.001). No changes in the measures of association (odds rati ons) were found after adjustment for the different characteristics of the participants (age, family income, education). Opposition to fluori dation was lower among those who believed their tap water was fluorida ted (even if not) : 19.9% vs 34.5%, p < 0.001. This study demonstrates that there is still need for public health education on the uses of f luorides.