Abstract
The decision to implement water fluoridation in Japan depends on consensus among the residents of each municipality. To arrive at a consensus within the municipality, residents should have an ability to recognize, understand, and make decisions regarding the implementation of water fluoridation. Thus, improvement of health literacy concerning water fluoridation is important.
We assessed the activities of water fluoridation promotion in the Tomioka-kanra area, using Nutbeam's concept of health literacy. As a result, to improve "functional health literacy", the provision of quality health information by dental professionals is necessary; to improve "interactive health literacy", experience of fluoridated water, a place to answer questions on water fluoridation of residents, and a program to improve skills of e-health literacy are necessary; and, to improve "critical health literacy", we should know the quality of individual critical health literacy and give residents the information they need to make an appropriate decision.
To improve health literacy regarding water fluoridation, dental professionals should distribute appropriate information to residents, using health communication techniques. Dental professionals should help residents make appropriate decisions on the implementation of water fluoridation. All dental professionals should share the same view of promoting water fluoridation, and present the evidence to the public.
Therefore, it is important that dental professionals improve their knowledge and understanding of water fluoridation.
