Benefits Of Community Water Fluoridation Discussed

USA Today carried a Kaiser Health News article discussing fluoridation, noting the CDC considers fluoridation to be “one of the 10 top public health achievements of the 20th century,” reducing tooth decay by about 25 percent in children and adults. “A big thing about community water fluoridation is that it’s a passive intervention, you don’t really have to do anything other than drink tap water,” said Katherine Weno, oral health director at the CDC. The article noted the American Dental Association and the World Health Organization also support fluoridation.

        Meanwhile, the Daily Caller reported that scientists at Australia’s National Health and Medical Research Council analyzed “60 years of research and 3,000 scientific studies,” finding “fluoride in drinking water is safe.” According to the article, “Researchers found that fluoride in water has no adverse health effects at the levels used in Australia, and that the substance is not linked to low IQ, cancer, or cognitive problems.” The researchers found the “only result” of fluoridation was “reduction of the effects of tooth decay by 26 to 44 percent in children.” The article notes that the ADA supports fluoridation, estimating that “every $1 invested in water fluoridation saves $38 in dental treatment costs.”