Why the Ontario Dental Association Supports Community Water Fluoridation
Learn more about community water fluoridation
Watch "Go with the Flow" (wmv) Video courtesy the US Centers for Disease Control
The cost of adding fluoride to regional drinking water is minimal when compared to the large costs of restorative dental surgery for children living in regions without fluoridation.1
The Ontario Dental Association is saying to the public and politicians of Ontario that it’s time to stand up for water fluoridation. It is important to your town, your city, your family and your dentist. It is essential to both your oral health and your overall health.
We urge you to read up on the facts. This page contains resources that will hopefully answer your questions and provide you with up-to-date knowledge on the topic of fluoridation. You can also speak to your dentist about fluoride.
What the National and International Experts Say About Water Fluoridation
Canadian Dental Association The Canadian Dental Association supports the appropriate use of fluorides in dentistry as one of the most successful preventive health measures in the history of health care. Over 50 years of extensive research throughout the world has consistently demonstrated the safety and effectiveness of fluorides in the prevention of dental caries. More…
Ontario Association of Public Health Dentistry
The Ontario Association of Public Health Dentistry (OAPHD) supports the fluoridation of municipal drinking water. It recommends water fluoridation as a safe, effective and economical public health measure to prevent dental caries in all age groups. More…
American Dental Association
The American Dental Association unreservedly endorses the fluoridation of community water supplies as safe, effective and necessary in preventing tooth decay. This support has been the Association's position since policy was first adopted in 1950. More…
US Centers for Disease Control
Community water fluoridation prevents tooth decay safely and effectively. The Center for Disease Control identifies it as one of 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century. More…
U.S. Surgeon General
…[C]ommunity water fluoridation continues to be the most cost-effective, equitable and safe means to provide protection from tooth decay in a community. Scientific studies have found that people living in communities with fluoridated water have fewer cavities than those living where the water is not fluoridated. For more than 50 years, small amounts of fluoride have been added to drinking water supplies in the United States where naturally-occurring fluoride levels are too low to protect teeth from decay. Over 8,000 communities are currently adjusting the fluoride in their community’s water to a level that can protect the oral health of their citizens. More…
World Health Organization
…[T]he experts reaffirmed the efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and safety of the daily use of optimal fluoride. They confirmed that universal access to fluoride for dental health is a part of the basic human right to health. More…
What exactly IS fluoride? Fluoride is a mineral found in rocks and soil. When water passes over rock formations, it dissolves fluoride compounds that are present, releasing fluoride ions. Because of this, amounts of fluoride are naturally present in all water sources.
How does fluoride prevent tooth decay?
Fluoride works by stopping or even reversing the tooth decay process. It keeps the enamel of the tooth strong and solid by preventing the loss of important mineral. Fluoride's main effect occurs after the tooth has erupted above the gum, when small amounts of fluoride are maintained in the mouth in saliva.
Where do I get fluoride from?
Fluoride is provided through drinking water, toothpaste, mouthwash and supplements (tablets or drops). Gels and rinses applied by your dentist also contain fluoride.
If fluoride is available in other ways, why is it added to our drinking water?
Fluoridation of community water supplies is the best way to provide oral health protection to a large number of people at a low cost. All members of a community can have the same benefits of fluoride in their water, regardless of their ages and socioeconomic status.
Who is responsible for the fluoride levels in our drinking water?
The responsibility of fluoridation of drinking water supplies is a decision that is made by each municipality, in collaboration with the provincial government and Health Canada. Together, through the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Committee on Drinking Water, both levels of government develop the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality. These guidelines are reviewed and revised periodically to take into account new scientific knowledge.
The Federal-Provincial-Territorial Committee on Drinking Water has recommended an optimal fluoride concentration of 0.8 to 1.0 mg/L. The goal is to find the right balance of fluoride in the water to maximize its benefits and minimize the potential of dental fluorosis.
What is dental fluorosis?
Dental fluorosis results when a child ingests too much fluoride. It causes white specks to appear on a child’s teeth, which can range from very mild, whitish areas on the surface to pitting and brownish discolouration of the enamel. Dental fluorosis does not endanger a child’s health; it is mainly a cosmetic condition affecting the appearance of teeth but not their function. The risks of dental fluorosis diminish once teeth are fully formed -- at about age six or seven -- and severe cases can easily be treated by your dentist.
How do I protect my child from getting dental fluorosis? Do I give my child non-fluoridated toothpaste?
Fluoridated toothpaste should always be used. There are several steps you can take to maintain your child’s fluoride intake while decreasing the chances of dental fluorosis:
never give a child under six years of age fluoridated mouthwashes or mouth rinses, as they may swallow it.
children under six years of age should be supervised while brushing their teeth
brush twice a day and use only a pea-sized amount of toothpaste. If your child is under six, use a smear of toothpaste.
encourage your child to spit out the toothpaste, rather than swallow it. If your child doesn’t have the co-ordination necessary for proper toothbrushing, brush your child's teeth first and then let him or her “finish off”
if an infant’s are not large enough for an infant toothbrush, use a piece of gauze or a wet facecloth to wipe teeth and gums
talk to your dentist. He or she can estimate what your child’s fluoride intake may be and adjust treatment options accordingly
Should we stop drinking fluoridated water if we are getting it from other sources? There has been a marked decline in rates of tooth decay in regions that have added fluoride to their water supplies. Conversely, there has been alarming incidences of tooth decay in children in areas without water fluoridation, as illustrated in the 2009 Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit Oral Health Report.
Adding fluoride to public drinking water is still the most economical means of giving the benefits of fluoride to all members of the community. Not only do children need fluoride protection while their teeth are developing, adults also need it to prevent cavities as well.
I’ve been hearing about health risks associated with water fluoridation. Is this true?
Numerous independent studies from around the world confirm the benefits and safety of public water fluoridation.
In 2007, Health Canada commissioned a panel of independent experts to review the health effects of exposure to fluoride in drinking water. The panel concluded that water fluoridation in the correct amount is both safe and effective.
Furthermore, Health Canada’s website states they “support water fluoridation as a public health measure to prevent dental decay,” and that “the big advantage of water fluoridation is that it benefits all residents in a community regardless of age, socioeconomic status, education or employment.”
What You Can Do to Support Water Fluoridation in Your Community The first thing you should do is get to know the facts.
Read what respected national and international health bodies are saying about the use of fluoridated water and the underlying benefits to communities around the world.
If your community is one of the few in Ontario without water fluoridation, contact your local councilor and mayor and ask them why they haven’t implemented water fluoridation in your community.
In the past year, some councils in municipalities across Ontario revisited the issue of water fluoridation in their community. The ODA actively participated in these local debates, providing advice and scientific evidence on the beneficial use of fluoride.
Halton has deferred their decision pending an update of Health Canada’s guidelines and a report by the Ministry of the Environment, expected to be release within by 2010.
If water fluoridation becomes an issue in your community, feel free to contact the ODA
History of Water Fluoridation in Canada
The connection between fluoride and dental health began to be seriously explored in the early twentieth century. By the 1950, communities across North America had begun fluoridating their water supplies. Ontario was one of the first places in the world to introduce community water fluoridation as a public health initiative to reduce tooth decay.
The first Canadian community water fluoridation trials began in Brantford, Ontario in 1945. Today, 8,707,055 people in Ontario or 70.3 percent of the provincial population have access to fluoridated water.
Community water fluoridation is an important public health policy that should be adopted in municipalities throughout the province. It is a cost-effective, preventive strategy that will provide protective measures to all Ontarians, regardless of their socio-economic position.
Fluoride is a mineral found in rocks and soil. When water passes over rock formations, it dissolves fluoride compounds that are present, releasing fluoride ions. Because of this, amounts of fluoride are naturally present in all water sources.
