Children who don't have a fluoridated water supply are 20 per cent more likely to have severe tooth decay, according to a new report.
The study found nearly one in seven Kiwi four-year-olds had severe tooth decay, with Māori and Pacific children, and those living in deprived areas, having higher rates of severe decay.
Those who didn't access fluoridated water were 20 per cent more likely to have severe decay, even in wealthier areas.
Only around 54 per cent of the country receives fluoridated water, despite a long-term national policy supporting it.
"I didn't believe the numbers for a start," lead author Philip Schluter, professor of population health at the University of Canterbury, told TVNZ1's Breakfast.
He's calling for improved access to fluoridated water to help mitigate the issue, saying there are multiple issues that arise from tooth decay.
"It turns out in New Zealand, even in the wealthy areas, [fluoridation] does make a big and important difference."
Decay in baby teeth can impact the replacement adult teeth, as it changes the bacterial balance in your mouth, Dr Schluter says.
It can cause lifelong pain, physical issues and damage people's mental wellbeing and self-esteem.
"I think fluoridating all our water would be a really good idea. There's research to suggest there are real economic advantages to doing that," he says.
The study looked at data from 275,000 children between 2011 and 2016.
It was published in the journal JAMA Paediatrics today.
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