My EPQ Journey Are the advantages of water

My EPQ Journey Are the advantages of water fluoridation more compelling than the disadvantages? Neeraj Pankhania

How and why I chose this topic • Aspiring dentist • Has implications on all of us • Has social, economical and environmental aspects • Hot topic / Personal Statement • Plenty of information • Applying my chemical and biological knowledge • Considers ethics and morals

Overview of my EPQ • Finding a topic and then a title (1) • Looking for resources (3) • Reading the resources (4) • Writing the 5, 00 word essay (3) • Referencing (2) • Production Log (5) • Presentation (3) Ratings: (1) Easy (5) Hard

Aims of my EPQ • Consider the advantages and disadvantages • Use university level resources to research information • Use statistics and data to support arguments • Analyse this data to draw my own judgements • Come to a researched and evidence based conclusion

What is water fluoridation? • The process of adding fluoride to water • All water naturally contains fluoride but in low concentrations • Done by adding either: • Sodium Fluoride • Fluorosilicic acid • Sodium fluorosilicate • Added in specific concentrations to reach the optimal level • Added in small quantities for safety reasons

Research • Finding university level resources – travelling to universities • Ensuring they were reliable - biased • Online journals • Previous experimental data • Analysis of data to make my own judgement

Successes of my EPQ • Planning and managing my time– schedules • Time efficiency with note taking and reading resources • Breaking down complex jargon • Learned lots about water fluoridation • Balanced this EPQ on top of my AS studies • Organisation through deadlines

Challenges and Improvements • Not following my plan– assessments, mocks… • Improved through use of contingency time • Biased resources • Improved by researching authors before using their resources • Referencing • Improved initial referencing issues by using a referencing site • Finding enough suitable resources • Improved by looking at university libraries and online journals

Strengths of Water Fluoridation • Reduces dental caries (cavities) • Preventive dentistry – strengthens enamel • Reversing damage to enamel – remineralisation • Adverse effect on bacteria’s metabolism in the mouth • Topical applications of fluoride • Saving money on the tight NHS budget

Data to support the advantages

Data to support the advantages

Weaknesses of Water Fluoridation • Dental fluorosis • Skeletal fluorosis • Self-esteem • Cognitive impairments • Consent • Regional inequalities

Data to support the disadvantages • Over 330, 000 people in the UK are already drinking water that is naturally fluoridated to the recommended level of 1 ppm. • Skeletal fluorosis - drinking 2 litres of water everyday for 20 years with a fluoride concentration of 10 mg/L.

Criteria for my conclusion • To help arrive at a well supported conclusion I made criteria for each point: • Does it have an overall positive or negative effect on society? • Is the effect concentrated on a small group or diffused amongst a larger group? • How severe is the effect and how long does it last? • I applied these to the points in my essay to analyse and create my own judgement to craft my conclusion

My Conclusion • Overall, I said water fluoridation is a positive process • The prevention of caries is important as you only get one set of adult teeth • Savings on the strict NHS budget can be used in other areas • Dental fluorosis can be fixed using pumice and acid etch gel • Skeletal fluorosis and osteosarcoma are extremely rare conditions • Not to be implemented everywhere but in regions with low fluoride concentration in water • Over 330, 000 people in the UK are already drinking water that is naturally fluoridated to the recommended level of 1 ppm.

Why EPQ was useful to me • Insight into independent research work at university • EPQ is accredited as an AS Level and helps with UCAS • I have been able to balance this voluntary project on top of my AS studies • Deepened my dental knowledge • Potential interview questions • Improved my organisations skills and highlighted importance of schedules

What I would do differently • Better planning of external commitments outside of EPQ • Try use more books than journals • Use the same referencing system in production log

Final Thoughts • Although it took a lot of effort, it was worthwhile • To say that , during my AS studies, I have conducted university level research on my own and written a 5, 000 word essay makes me feel proud and gives me a sense of accomplishment • Helps with my career – it will be an area of dentistry which I will know a lot about before I even go to university • Furthered my interest in dentistry