Water Fluoridation

Fluoride is nature's cavity fighter, occurring in the earth's crust, in combination with other minerals in rocks and soil. Small amounts of fluoride occur naturally in all water sources, and varying amounts of the mineral are found in all foods and beverages. Water fluoridation is the process of adjusting the natural level of fluoride to a concentration sufficient to protect against tooth decay. Thanks in large part to community water fluoridation, half of children ages 5 to 17 have never had a cavity in their permanent teeth.

Fluoride's benefits are particularly important for those people, especially children, who lack adequate access to dental care. Water fluoridation has been recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as one of the 10 great public health achievements of the 20th Century. U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher wrote in his report, Oral Health in America, "Community water fluoridation is safe and effective in preventing dental caries in both children and adults. Water fluoridation benefits all residents served by community water supplies regardless of their social or economic status."

According to the April 2000 Journal of Dental Research, the use of fluoride since 1960 has been the primary factor in saving some $40 billion in oral health care costs in the United States. The annual cost of community water fluoridation is approximately $0.50 per person. The lifetime cost to provide fluoridated water to one person is less than the cost of a single dental filling.

Unfortunately, despite overwhelming evidence of fluoridation's safety and efficacy, more than 100 million Americans still do not benefit from fluoridated water. The ADA recommends that Congress increase funding for federal and local initiatives to support water fluoridation in communities nationwide.

In addition to the ADA, nearly 100 national and international organizations recognize the public health benefits of community water fluoridation for preventing dental decay. They include the World Health Organization, the U.S. Public Health Service, the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the International Association for Dental Research, the American Cancer Society and the American Dietetic Association.

The ADA's policies regarding community water fluoridation are based on generally accepted scientific knowledge, that is, knowledge based on the efforts of nationally recognized scientists who have conducted research using the scientific method, have drawn appropriate balanced conclusions based on their research findings and have published their results in peer-reviewed professional journals that are widely held or circulated.

The ADA is committed to helping to bring the benefits of water fluoridation to more Americans, through education, advocacy and research.

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