Key Facts about Community Water Fluoridation (from American Dental Association)

• Water fluoridation is the addition of fluoride to raise the natural concentration of fluoride in a community's water supply up to the level recommended by the U.S. Public Health Service for optimal dental health—0.7 to 1.2 parts per million… one part per million is the equivalent of: 1 inch in 16 miles… 1 cent in $10,000… 1 minute in two years 


• Fluoridation is merely an increase in the level of the naturally occurring fluoride in all drinking water systems.


• A recent review by the U.S. Task Force on Community Preventive Services strongly recommended community water fluoridation for reducing tooth decay. For the many studies reviewed, there was a median 29% reduction in tooth decay among children and adolescents.


• Community water fluoridation benefits everyone, especially those without access to regular dental care. It is the most efficient way to prevent one of the most common childhood diseases—tooth decay (5 times as common as asthma and 7 times as common as hay fever in 5- to 17-year-olds). Without fluoridation, there would likely be many more than the estimated 51 million school hours lost per year in this country because of dental-related illness.


• Currently, 67% of Americans on public water systems receive optimally fluoridated water.


• Fluoridation is cost effective. For most U.S. communities, every dollar spent on community water fluoridation results in a savings of $38 in treatment costs.


• Water fluoridation contributes more to overall health than simply reducing dental decay; It prevents needless infection and pain, suffering and loss of teeth; improves the quality of life and saves vast sums on money in decreased dental treatment costs. Additionally, fluoridation conserves natural took structure by preventing the need for initial fillings and subsequent replacement fillings.

• No charge against the benefits and safety of fluoridation has even been substantiated by generally accepted scientific knowledge.  After 60 years of research and practical experience, the preponderance of scientific evidence indicates that fluoridation of community water systems is both safe and effective. This is supported by the WHO, ADA and AMA among other professional and research groups.


• In a study titled “Fluoride and Drinking Water Fluoridation”, the American Cancer Society states, “Scientific studies show no connection between cancer and rates in humans and adding fluoride to drinking water.”

• While the argument against fluoridation has remained relatively constant over the years, the anti-fluoridationists have used different approaches that play upon the popular concerns of the public at the time. In the 1950’s, fluoridation was seen as a communist plot; in the 1960’s during the advent of the environmental movement, it was viewed as a pollutant; in the 1970’s fluoride was seen as a conspiracy between the government, the dental and medical establishment and industry; in the 80’s, fluoridation supposedly caused both AIDS and Alzheimer’s disease; in the 90’s, to stoke the fears of aging baby boomers, fluoride was the cause of hip fractures and cancer and now in the new millennium, the anti-flouridationists charge that is causes overexposure and toxicity.

• Clever use of emotionally charged propaganda by fluoride opponents creates fear, concern and doubt within a community.

Other Facts About the Impact of the Lack of Fluoride on Cayuga County's Children

• Cayuga County is one of six counties in Central New York that has no fluoridated public water. It also has the highest percentage of children with cavities… 72 % of Cayuga County third-graders surveyed had at least one cavity. In Onondaga County where 93 % of the population gets fluoridated water, that number was 42%.

• Syracuse Post-Standard news article, Dec. 27, 2005

• Nearly three out of four children in Cayuga County have cavities by third grade – in neighboring Onondaga County, fewer than two our of four do. Is it mere coincidence that the CNY county with no fluoride in it s water has the highest cavity rate, while the county with nearly universal fluoridation has the lowest? Not likely.

• Syracuse Post Standard Editorial, Dec. 30, 2005

• Dental carries and periodontal diseases have a huge economic and social cost and can be a portal for serious systemic problems. Most oral diseases are preventable which can then reduce pain, suffering and health expenses. Therefore, every effort to promote and implement preventative measures is a wise investment. Thus, its prevention and control is a very important investment for society.

• Antonia C. Novello, MS, MPH, Dr. PH, Former NYS Commissioner of Health

• Fluoridation of the public water supply was first instituted on January 25, 1945, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Studies in eight communities (four implemented fluoridation and four did not) comparing rates of tooth decay documented persuasive evidence of its effectiveness in decreasing tooth decay in children. As a result, other U.S. cities rapidly adopted this preventive intervention.


• Based on Statewide experience, as estimated by this analysis, water fluoridation of Bexar County (Texas) can be expected to save approximately $18 to $20 per Texas Health Steps (EPSDT-Medicaid) child per year. Using the more conservative $18, the 59,537 children treated in 1997 would have cost approximately $1,071,66 less if Bexar County had been fluoridated… Water Fluoridation Costs in Texas: Texas Health Steps (EPSDT-Medicaid), In Fulfillment of House Concurrent Resolution 145, Texas 75th Legislature, May 2000

Notes from the Cayuga Community Health Network-sponsored Forum on Water Fluoridation, held on January 24, 2005 at the Auburn Holiday Inn:

• Keynote speaker Michael Easley, DDS, MPH:

• Be vigilant regarding the false claims of the opposition and to “redouble your efforts to provide scientifically-based information in a format that the public can understand. 


• You are the health professionals whom they have entrusted with the care of their children, their parents, and themselves - they need to be reminded by you at every opportunity that community water fluoridation is yet another proven public health measure that you recommend for the benefit of the entire community. 


• Fluoridation is safe, effective, efficient, economical, socially equitable, environmentally sound, and good public policy.


• Community water fluoridation is the perfect public health intervention - it does not discriminate against any group; large groups are protected continuously without any conscious effort on their part to participate; it works without requiring individuals to gather in a central location; it does not require the costly services of expensive health professionals to deliver its benefits; there are no daily dosage schedules to remember; there are no foul tasting oral medications to endure; there are no painful inoculations to experience - all the public has to do is go about their normal daily routine to be protected. 

• With the advent of the Information Age, a new type of “psuedo-scientific literature has developed. The public often sees scientific and technical information quoted in the press, printed in a letter to the editor or distributed via an Internet web page.  Often the public accepts such information as fact because it is in print… in the case of water fluoridation, an abundance of misinformation has been circulated.

• The possibilities of adverse health effects from continuous low-level consumption of fluoride over long periods have been studied extensively. As with other nutrients, fluoride is safe and effective when used and consumed properly.