Here are the facts, plain and simple, about community water fluoridation: it is safe, it saves you and your community money and it is effective. Learn more about the facts below.
Fluoridated Water is SAFELeading health and medical authorities endorse water fluoridation as safe. The CDC reports that “panels of experts from different health and scientific fields have provided strong evidence that water fluoridation is safe and effective.”
More than 3,200 studies or reports had been published on the subject of fluoridation.
A Mom's Guide to Fluoride By Dr. Brittany Seymour, Assistant Professor, Harvard School of Dental Medicine
If you would like more information about specific questions related to the safety of fluoride visit www.fluoridescience.org and fluoride and fluoridation page on the American Dental Association's website.
Fluoridated Water SAVES YOU and Your Community MONEYBy preventing tooth decay, community water fluoridation has been shown to save money, both for families and the health care system.
Although other fluoride-containing products such as toothpaste, mouth rinses, and dietary supplements are available and contribute to the prevention and control of dental caries, community water fluoridation has been identified as the most cost-effective method of delivering fluoride to all members of the community regardless of age, educational attainment, or income level.
• Out-of-pocket spending for dental services—costs not paid by insurance—accounts for about 40% of all dental expenditures
• Every $1 invested in fluoridated water saves $38 in dental costs.
• Fluoridated water is 70 times cheaper than fluoride supplements, 1/2 the cost of fluoride rinse, and cheaper than varnishes and gels.
• When everyone has access to fluoridated water, fewer Medicaid dollars are spent on dental care. Those without dental care access benefit from better oral health, and we all benefit from less Medicaid spending.
• National savings from water fluoridation: $3.84 billion each year as estimated by scientists who testified before Congress in 1995.
Fluoridated Water is EFFECTIVECommunity water fluoridation has led to such dramatic declines in both the prevalence and severity of tooth decay that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention named it one of 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century.
“Community water fluoridation is effective, inexpensive and does not depend on access or availability of professional services. It has been the basis for the primary prevention of tooth decay for nearly 70 years,” said Dr. Lushniak.
The scientific evidence base continues to support community water fluoridation as a safe and effective public health measure. Reviews of the scientific literature on the health effects of fluoride in the last 2 decades have been conducted by;
• Health & Human Services Final Recommendation on Community Water Fluoridation (2015)
• Centers for Disease Control Statement on the Evidence of the Safety & Effectiveness of Community Water Fluoridation (2015)
• Public Health England - Water Fluoridation Health Monitoring Report for England (2014)
• Congressional Research Service - Fluoride in Drinking Water (2013)
• National Health and Medical Research Council, Australian Government (2007) and Reaffirmation 2016
• National Research Council (2006)
• World Health Organization (2006)
• Institute for Science in Medicine, USA (2012)
• U.S. Public Health Service Recommendation on Community Water Fluoridation (2015)
• Ministry of Health New Zealand Survey (2009)
• Center for Disease Control and Prevention
• American Dental Association
• Campaign for Dental Health
• American Academy of Pediatrics
• American Dental Hygienists Association
• American Fluoridation Society
• Centers for Disease Control & Prevention Fluoridation Resources
• Centers for Disease Control & Prevention Fluoridation Statistics
• American Public Health Association information on fluoridation
• American Dental Association Fluoridation Facts
• ADA’s Five Reasons Why Fluoride in Water is Good for Communities
• American Fluoridation Society Research
• Fluoride Exposed
• Fluoride Science
In a new video, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy, MD credits community water fluoridation with contributing to declines in the prevalence and severity of tooth decay. Dr. Murthy also praises advocates and community leaders for their efforts in fighting to make fluoridation a reality in communities across the county.
To find out what other Surgeons General have said about water fluoridation Click Here.
Ever wonder why fluoride in the drinking water is important, given that it’s already in toothpaste and fluoride varnish? Kansas Dental Director Cathy Taylor-Osborne explains why in this video.
The Campaign for Dental Health (CDH) was created to ensure that people of all ages have access to the most effective, affordable and equitable way to protect teeth from decay — water fluoridation. The CDH is a broad network of oral health advocates, health professionals, child and family organizations, and scientists who are working together to preserve our nation’s gains in oral health. Watch this series of simple and easy to understand videos from CDH to learn about community water fluoridation.
