Germany

Germany
© 2000-2004 PFPC

   In Germany 15 grams of salt are used each day - per person. 400,000 tons of salt are used per year. Besides ingestion, the salt is also used for gargling (k+s Report, 2000).

   The greatest contributors to daily salt intake are bread and baked goods (28%), followed by meats and products (26%), dairy products (11%), fish (7%) and vegetables (4%) (k+s Report, 2000).

How salt fluoridation started in Germany:

    “In the eighties, German dentists did not believe that fluoridated salt could be authorized before the end of the century. Vociferious antifluoridationists, supported by the "Green" party, were opposed to public fluoridation, considering this trace element as being hardly admissable even in dentifrice. However, legislation of the European Union enabled German firms to import fluoridated salt from France. Subsequently, German health authorities could not reject the sale (beginning in 1991) and later the production of fluoridated salt (in 1992). In Germany, it was an important salt factory itself which adopted an active role from the very beginning, sponsoring a public relations agency for distribution of flyers and other materials as well as press releases explaining caries prevention, with a modest focus on fluoridated salt. Since 1992, dental, pediatric and other medical associations, health insurance companies and sick funds have published statements in favour of fluoridated salt or at least its role in comprehensive caries prevention programs. Extrapolation based on the last 6 years (the percentage rate has been steadily rising by 4.5 % each year) would indicate that a 50% market share be attained by 2004." (Marthaler, 2000)

   Again, these projections have been far surpassed. A 50% market share was reached in 2001 already, and calls were made for more promotion, so that an 80% share could be reached. Dentists have been lobbying steadily to get regulations changed to allow bakeries and large kitchens to use fluoridated salt (DAZ, Sept. 6, 2001). The Heidelberg University has been using fluoridated salt in its cafeteria since 1999.

Background Papers

DAZ, Sept. 6, 2001 (In German)
http://www.pharmazeutische-zeitung.de/pza/2001-39/medizin4.htm

Marthaler TM- "Salt fluoridation: effectiveness against dental caries and practical results in Latin America and Europe" (2001)

Marthaler TM - “Salt fluoridation in Europe, comparisons with Latin America” 8th World Salt Symposium (2000); Volume 2: 1021-1026 (2000)

How Dentists push for fluoridated salt in Germany
(in German):
“Ein Plädoyer für die Zahnvorsorge beim Essen”

k+s Report 2000
http://www.k-plus-s.com/pdf_de/2000/info-03.pdf