Comparison of the Views of Two University Groups on Fluoride and Fluoride Products

The most widely used substance in the world to prevent tooth decay is still fluoride, but in recent years there have been concerns and negative attitudes towards the use of fluoride. The aim of the study was to compare the knowledge and attitudes of Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy (MAKU) and Mississippi University (MSU) students about fluoride. The study was conducted with a total of 217 participants, 110 from MAKU and 107 from MSU. The participants were asked about demographic information, fluoride toothpastes and fluoride applications, and their knowledge and opinions about the effects of fluoride on dental health in the 15-question survey. While the MAKU group preferred to investigate the accuracy of information about oral and dental health (45.45%) and did not believe speculative information about fluoride (46.36%), the MSU group was more skeptical of information about oral and dental health (71. 96%) and stated that they believed negative information about fluoride more (43.92%). The study revealed the impact of cultural differences on perceptions about fluoride.