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The
fluoridation of drinking water is endorsed by the American Dental
Association, the American Medical Association, and the US Public
Health Service. The CDC proclaimed fluoridation to be one of the top
ten greatest public health achievements of the past century.
Former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. C. Everett Koop stated, "Fluoridation
is the single most important commitment that a community can make
to the oral health of its citizens." Presently, nearly 2/3 of
U.S. residents who receive water from a public water system, now receive
fluoridated water. Fluoride is a naturally occurring element in the
environment that is known to be effective in preventing tooth decay
in children and adults. Some water supplies contain fluoride naturally,
but others, like Sebago Lake and the wells serving Steep Falls, do
not contain enough fluoride to be beneficial. At the Sebago Lake Water
Treatment Facility in Standish, the level of fluoride in the water
is adjusted to an optimal concentration of 1.00 mg/L. Water samples
have been collected daily since fluoridation began in 1997 to ensure
that fluoride levels in the water remain within the beneficial range
of 0.7 to 1.3 mg/L.
While the benefits of fluoride were first discovered in the 1930s,
it wasn’t until 1945 that water systems added fluoride to the
drinking water.
Extensive research conducted over the past 50 years has shown
time and time again that fluoridation of public water supplies is a
safe, effective and economical way to reduce tooth decay for all
ages.
A
detailed review by the National Research Council in 1993 found no
links between low-level fluoride ingestion and occurrences of
cancer, kidney disease, gastrointestinal disorders, immunological
disorders, reproductive effects, genetic disorders, or bone
fractures.
While
exposure to high levels of fluoride over a long time can cause
dental fluorosis, a condition that leads to mottled tooth enamel,
discoloration, and in some cases erosion the gum line, the fluoride
content in your drinking water is limited under federal law and the
levels are very low.
Currently, over 162 million people in the United States are
receiving the benefits of water fluoridation.
Fluoride bonds with the tooth enamel and the surfaces of the teeth,
making them more resistant to decay. It can interfere with the growth
of cavity-causing bacteria on the teeth.
For more information about fluoride use by infants and children.
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Fluoride
in your drinking water