The Power of Fluoride

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention consider the fluoridation of community water to be one of the ten greatest public health achievements of the 20th century! For the past 70 years, people in the United States have benefited from drinking water with fluoride, leading to greater dental health. By simply drinking water, people are able to benefit from the power of fluoridation to protect their teeth from cavities whether they’re at home, work, or school. Community water fluoridation has been identified as one of the most cost-effective methods of delivering fluoride to all members of the community.

Tooth decay is caused from a buildup of plaque that dissolves the hard enamel on the surfaces of teeth. If this damage is not treated, it leads to cavities and tooth decay that can cause pain, infection, and tooth loss. Fluoride works to combat tooth decay by being incorporated into the structure of developing teeth as it’s ingested and by protecting teeth when it comes into contact with their surfaces. Here are some more facts about the power of fluoride in community waters:

• Tooth decay is one of the most common childhood diseases. It’s five times as common as asthma and seven times as common as hay fever.
• Community water fluoridation refers to the adjustment of fluoride that is naturally present in the water to optimal levels to protect teeth.
• Studies support that water fluoridation reduces dental decay by 20 – 40 percent.
• Without fluoridated water, there would be many more than the estimated 51 million school hours lost per year because of dental-related illnesses.
• For every $1 invested in water fluoridation, cities can save $38 in dental treatment costs.
• The average cost for a community to fluoridate their water is estimated to be from $0.50 a year per person to about $3.00 per year per person.

Dr. Maggie will review the benefits of topical fluoride and systemic fluoride exposure during your child’s appointment. We’ll go over your child’s fluoride exposure and make the appropriate recommendation for further fluoride treatment. If you have questions about fluoride and your child’s oral health, give us a call today!