Fluoride
Water Fluoridation for Healthy Smiles
Yes!.. The benefits of Fluoride FAR outweigh the possibility that there may be drawbacks! We have more than 50 years of public health experience now to demonstrate that.
Did You Know??
- Multiple studies over the years done in several countries and the United States show that fluoridation can reduce tooth decay by 60% in baby teeth and up to 35% in adult teeth. When fluoride was discontinued, there were large increases in the incident of tooth decay, especially in children. (Reference: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5014a1.htm
- Water fluoridation saves money! Do the math- it costs approximately 50 cents per person per year to receive fluoridated water. One single filling for a cavity can be well over $100!
- Poor children suffer disproportionably more cavities than middle or upper income children. Children from families earning less than $20,000 annually have 10 times more unmet dental care needs than children from families earning $50,000 annually.
- Fluoride is a mineral that occurs natually in the soil and nature’s cavity fighter. It is commonly found in well water everywhere.
- Just from looking at a new patient's molars, I can often tell them if they moved from the country to the city, or vice versa, by the age of eight. This is because the teeth that were formed without the benefit of Fluoride will have deep, vulnerable grooves. Often already filled with a silver filling. Teeth that are forming when there is Fluoride in the water, will have hard, shallow grooves and NO Fillings!
- Scientific research over the past sixty years has shown water fluoridation to be safe.
Community Water Fluoridation
All drinking water supplies contain some fluoride naturally. Getting the right amount of fluoride is important to prevent tooth decay. Water plant operators continuously monitor the fluoride content of drinking water in communities that fluoridate.
The most favorable concentration for fluoride in drinking water in the United States varies from .7 parts-per-million (ppm) in hot climates to 1.2 ppm in cold climates. For moderate climates, 1 ppm is recommended. (One ppm is the same as 1mg/L)
Although people living in non-fluoridated communities have benefited from these other sources of fluoride, those living in fluoridated communities generally experience 20 – 40 % less tooth decay.
Community water fluoridation is effective, safe, inexpensive, and practical. The average cost of fluoridation is about 50 cents per person a year. This is one of the best bargains in health today!
The safety of community water fluoridation has been studied more thoroughly than any other public health measure during the past 50 years. Hundreds of clinical, animals and laboratory studies support its safety.
There are several ways to learn if your community maintains optimum levels of fluoride in its drinking water. A telephone call or letter to the utility that provides water for your community is probably the easiest way.
For more information, visit the following Web sites: