Water Fluoridation

• Overview
• Additional Resources 
• Videos
• Photographs

Contact Information:
Telephone: 312-440-2806
E-mail: mediarelations@ada.org (Journalists) or Contact ADA (All Others)

Overview

The American Dental Association endorses the fluoridation of community water supplies and the use of fluoride-containing products as a safe, beneficial and cost-effective public health measure for preventing tooth decay. The US Public Health Service has established the recommended level for fluoride in water supplies of 0.7 - 1.2 parts per million (ppm).

At 1ppm, one part of fluoride is diluted in a million parts of water. 1ppm can be represented as:

1 inch in 16 miles
1 minute in 2 years
1 cent in $10,000

Fluoridation is one of the very few public health measurers that actually saves more money than it costs. The average lifetime cost per person to fluoridate a water supply is less than the cost of one dental filling.

Is my water fluoridated?

• http://www.epa.gov/safewater/dwinfo/index.html
• http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/MWF/index.asp
  (Click on your state and find your county to learn if your water is fluoridated.
  Please note: not all states have participated)
• Fluoridation Status of the 50 Largest U.S. Cities (PDF)

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Additional Resources

Documents

• Fluoride and Fluoridation 
• Fluoride Treatments for the Dental Office (PDF) 
• Fluoridation Facts (This read-only copy of the ADA’s comprehensive publication contains facts from over 350 scientific references about one of the 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century) (PDF)
  Journalists interested in receiving a printed copy of this 71 page booklet should contact ADA Media Relations at mediarelations@ada.org
• 10 Reasons to Fluoridate Public Water (PDF) 
• Bottled Water Drinkers Beware: Are You Missing Out on Fluoride's Benefits? (PDF) (Journal of the American Dental Association)

Statements & Recommendations

• ADA Statement on the Safety of Community Water Fluoridation 
• ADA Statement on the Effectiveness of Community Water Fluoridation 
• ADA Press Statement: ADA Reaffirms Support of Water Fluoridation
• Statements from Leading Organizations Regarding Community Water Fluoridation  (PDF)

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Videos