Water fluoridation

Water fluoridation is a process of adding fluoride to public water until a desired level of fluoride in the water is reached. It has been used as a public health measure to reduce tooth decay and it is important for oral health especially the teeth. Natural water contains a small amount of fluoride but it is limited and insufficient to provide a significant change in the improvement of oral health. Water fluoridation adds fluoride to public water and it is adjusted to between 0.7 - 1.0 parts per million in drinking water which is deemed the most effective and efficient way of preventing dental caries (tooth decay). Public health authorities around the world such as World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and…

New Zealand Community Water Fluoridation: Is It Justifiable? Dental caries (tooth decay) is a chronic disease that affects all ages, and remains one of the most predominant diseases in New Zealand. If left untreated, possible ramifications could include, tooth loss (which may result in an undesirable appearance), pain, and infection. Therefore from an early age, it is essential to establish and implement good oral health practices. Examples of these practices (although not limited to) are,…

community appear to rise up against water fluoridation” (Perrella & Kiss, 2015, p. 197). Continued misinformation and unsubstantiated issues regarding water fluoridation impact local decisions to start and in some cases continue community water fluoridation (Melbye & Armfield, 2013). Communities have been successful in beginning or restarting community water…

Fluoridation: Creating Better Smiles Everyday “Water Fluoridation has changed the smiles of Americans for 57 years” –Scott M. Presson, DDS, MPH, and Chief of the Program Services Branch in the division of Oral Health at the Center for Dieses Control and Prevention (Molony). Water fluoridation is defined as; “to add fluoride to drinking water to reduce tooth decay” (Fallon). Most communities have fluoridated drinking water. Almost all water contains some naturally occurring fluoride, but at…

"Putting the mouth back into health” elucidates the fact that oral health is far more than just cosmetic, but is linked to an individual’s wellbeing. Fluoridated water prevents tooth decay, is beneficial for all ages, is safe, free to consume and is natural. Despite the continual support for fluoride within dental, medical and scientific communities, there is marked opposition by the general public and a minority of scientists. Through a critical analysis of both the benefits of water…

The potential benefits of water fluoridation were first noticed in the early 1900’s by Dr. MacKay. He concluded that the high levels of fluoride in the towns water supply were preventing tooth decay. These findings were corroborated further when Dr. H. Trendley Dean conducted fluoride research that showed tooth decay was less prevalent in communities who had naturally fluorinated water. From this study, it was found that a range of .7 to 1.2 ppm of fluoride levels in drinking water could safely…

Fluoridation of Drinking Water Jack Barth, AP Chemistry Water fluoridation is a common practice in many communities, both in the United States and worldwide. In 2012, 75% of American communities had access to fluoridated drinking water (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015). The CDC also touts the many advantages of fluoridated drinking water, such as lowered tooth decay among families and fewer dollars spent on dental procedures. However, many individuals and medical institutions…

Should water fluoridation be implemented internationally? Water fluoridation refers to the controlled addition of fluoride to a public water supply to reduce tooth decay, usually accomplished by adding sodium fluoride, fluorosilicic acid or sodium fluorosilicate to water of which fluorosilicic acid is the most common. Fluoride helps to protect our teeth by a variety of ways such as altering the structure of developing enamel and encouraging remineralisation ensuring that the enamel crystals are…

For many years water fluoridation has been used all around the world. This is the process of when fluoride is added to water to prevent tooth decay, which toughens the enamel of teeth in children and adults, but has been a health issue in communities (“Fluoride Information Network”, n.d). The way that tooth decay forms is with bacteria that make acid to remove minerals from teeth. Therefore, fluoride prevents the cavities from expanding throughout the mouth. Other than just preventing tooth…

The water fluoridation controversy arises from political, economic, ethical, moral, and safety concerns regarding the fluoridation of public water supplies. The views of public health dominants on the most effective fluoride therapy for community prevention of tooth decay were very mixed; some state that water fluoridation is most effective for prevention, others see no special advantages and prefer topical utilization strategies. Those who were opposed argued that water fluoridation has no or…