The Oregonian – April 13, 2007

It's time for Oregon to fluoridate water

By Mark O. Hatfield

I was struck by the first sentence of a Feb. 1 story in The Oregonian ("Mention fluoride, and fight's on"): "Decades after most of the rest of the nation accepted adding fluoride to the water supply to prevent tooth decay, the issue remains a flash point in Oregon."

I find it disappointing that, after 50 years of debate, Oregon lawmakers appear frozen in time. It is hoped that this session the Legislature finally will act to require fluoride in water supplies serving communities of 10,000 or more.

In 1952, when I served in the Oregon House of Representatives, the board of the national Parent-Teacher Association recommended local PTAs work for fluoridation of community water supplies. It was an important public health issue then, especially for children. It still is today.

Only about 20 percent of Oregonians live in communities that have fluoride in their water supplies, ranking Oregon 48th out of 50 states in protecting its citizens' teeth from decay and disease.

While Oregon dawdled, most states have acted. More than two-thirds of all Americans now get their drinking water from supplies that have been fluoridated.

Legislators can change that this year.

A bill being considered in the Oregon House (HB 3099) would ensure fluoridation of water for two-thirds of Oregonians, improving dental health, significantly reducing tooth decay in communities, lowering dental and health care costs for Oregonians, and saving taxpayers a substantial amount of the money now spent treating preventable dental disease.

More than 60 years of research and practical experience have shown fluoridation is safe and beneficial for everyone, especially children and seniors. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists fluoridation as one of the 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century.

Dr. Bruce Goldberg, director of Oregon's Department of Human Services, outlined the need: "Fully 56 percent of Oregon children 6-8 years old have some level of tooth decay. By age 15 it' s 69 percent. Among Oregonians over age 60, 18 percent have lost all their teeth to preventable dental disease. Many of the health problems that result from tooth decay and oral disease can be prevented with water fluoridation."

Dr. Goldberg echoed other public health leaders, including the U.S. Surgeon General, declaring the overwhelming evidence to support fluoridation: "Studies show that individuals living in communities with fluoridated water supplies experience a reduction in tooth decay of 18-40 percent, with no negative health impacts."

The Northwest Health Foundation board I served on has committed its support to the legislation proposed in Salem. So have many other groups, including the Oregon Medical Association, Oregon Academy of Family Physicians, Oregon Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, Oregon Board of Dentistry, Oregon Dental Association, Oregon Dental Hygienists' Association, Oregon Dental Assistants Association, Oregon Public Health Association, Oregon Community Health Partnership, Oregon Rural Health Coordinating Council and Oregon Nurses Association.

Oregonians have waited long enough to enjoy the benefits of drinking fluoridated water that most Americans take for granted. Oregon legislators should act quickly on HB 3099.

It's time.

Mark O. Hatfield was governor of Oregon from 1958 to 1967, and served in the U.S. Senate from Oregon for 30 years, 1967-1997.