Facts about Fluoridation

(from the Oregon Department of Human Services fact sheet.)

 

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ranks community water fluoridation as one of the ten great public health achievements of the last century. All past and present U.S. Surgeons General have issued statements supporting community water fluoridation.

 

Community water fluoridation reduces tooth decay and oral disease, and benefits all:

  • Tooth decay can be reduced from 18-40% – effective and economical with children and adults in reducing decay.
  • In Oregon, 56% of children 6-8 years old have experienced decay. By age 15 this percentage has grown to 69%. Among Oregonians over age 60, 18% have lost all of their teeth due to preventable dental disease. Among pregnant women, oral disease may be associated with increased risk for pre-term delivery or low-birth-weight babies.
  • Oral disease also is associated with several chronic diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, and systemic infections.
  • Community water fluoridation is accessible to the entire community, regardless of socioeconomic status.
  • Individuals do not need to change their behavior to receive the benefits of fluoridation.
  • Frequent exposure to small amounts of fluoride over time makes fluoridation effective throughout the life span.

 

Community water fluoridation has been well studied:

  • Recognized by nearly every reputable national and international health-related organization as safe and effective in preventing tooth decay.
  • The impressive list of supporters of community water fluoridation reflects repeated assessments by independent committees of experts, as well as periodic reviews of the findings of scientific studies and research by the Centers for Disease Control, U.S. Public Health Service and other reputable regulatory and public health organizations.
  • It is the 60-year body of evidence, more than the findings of any single study, that affirms that community water fluoridation is safe, reaches people from all walks of life throughout their lifespan, and is very cost effective.

 

Community water fluoridation has a long history in the United States and in Oregon:

  • Approximately 170 million people in the United States are served by water systems that are fluoridated – about 67% of the population served by water systems.
  • 41 water systems in Oregon fluoridate, serving about 725,000 residents.
  • Salem , Sublimity, Coquille, Forest Grove, Florence, Astoria and Corvallis have been fluoridating their water, successfully, for over 50 years.
  • In addition, 35 water systems in Oregon, serving a total of about 50,000 residents, have natural fluoride levels that are at the optimal levels recommended to help prevent dental decay.

 

Community water fluoridation is well regulated and safe for the environment:

  • The EPA regulates water fluoridation based on standards set by the American Water Works Association (AWWA).
  • Fluoride additives are derived from mineral apatite. Some fluoride additives are by-products of the phosphate fertilizer process – not to be confused with waste products – and are regulated by the AWWA standards.
  • A Tacoma-Pierce County study investigating the environmental consequences of optimal water fluoridation found, “No probable significant adverse environmental impacts.”

 

Click here to download the American Dental Association’s 69-page publication, Fluoride Facts.