Wisconsin public water supply fluoridation census 20. The recommended optimal level of fluoride in drinking water takes into consideration all sources of exposure to fluoride, including foods and dental products 89. Dakota which contained natural f in the range of 0. Many decades after fluoride was first added to drinking water in some parts of the united states, there is still controversy about the possible health effects of drinking water fluoridation. Fluoridation of public drinking water one of the top ten public health achievements of the 20th century linda ferraro, rdh, bs program coordinator office of oral health connecticut department of public health may 9, 2012 presentation courtesy of cdc water fluoridation principles and practices. Some critics say that this mentality of involuntary preventative care is a form of mass medication and government overreach. Pdf fluoride in drinking water and its health consequences. Wddwgb 35 fluoride in drinking water new hampshire. Fluoride is a natural mineral that is shown to protect against tooth decay. In the netherlands, yearround averages for all drinkingwater plants are below 0. You can check with your local water supplier to see how much fluoride is in your drinking water. Adjusting the level of fluoride in drinking water first used. According to the american dental association, fluorosis, which appears as white lines or.
Fluoride complexes in drinking water pdf free download. Fluoridation of public drinking water supplies involves the deliberate adjustment of fluoride concentrations in drinking water from their naturally low levels 0. The amount of fluoride in many drinking water supplies is changed to a level to help reduce tooth decay. How much fluoride is found naturally in drinking water sources. Recent estimates of reductions in tooth decay can be credited to community water fluoridation.
This document is designed to assist local public health departments as well as medical and dental professionals to determine the level of fluoride of a. Fluoride and fluoridation are among the most thoroughly researched topics of the past 75 years. Drinking water drinking water fluoridation in new zealand andrew watson and lisa mace, ch2m beca ltd to reduce the likelihood of them happening, and what actions should be undertaken if something does go wrong. The story of fluoridation national institute of dental. Although, currently there is approximately 30 percent less tooth decay in communities with fluoride in their drinking water. Fluoride is a naturally occurring element found in small but varying amounts in water, air, soil, plants, and animals. Fluoridation of santa clara county drinking water legend fluoridated santa clara county cities zip code boundaries approximate scale 0 5 10 miles the information provided is based on approximate water service areas. He had developed a stateoftheart method to measure fluoride levels in water with an accuracy of 0. Pdf fluoride at low concentration is an essential element for dental health. Fluoridation resources american dental association.
Water fluoridation is the process of adding fluoride to a water source so that the level of fluoride in the water reaches the recommended level of fluoride for good dental health. Pdf millions of people from different countries of the world are deeply dependent on the groundwater primarily for drinking, cooking, food. Visit the fluoride facts website for more information about water fluoridation. Water fluoridation is beneficial for reducing and controlling tooth decay and promoting oral health in children and adults. A public water system is defined by epa as a system for the provision to the public of water for human. It is believed that fluoridated drinking water can reduce cavities significantly and also tooth decay up to 90%.
The first page of the pdf of this article appears above. The first studies about positive effects were conducted in 1945 with systemic fluoridation of drinking water in four american cities grand rapids, evanston, brantford and newberg, where 1 mg of fluoride per liter was added to drinking water. Fluoride in water exists in the dissociated form, i. Fluoride in drinking water may be useful in preventing tooth decay.
The effects of fluoride in the drinking water, ifau working paper. Accordingly,in 1952,on the recommendation of the mrc,the british government initiated a study into water fluoridation with a view to advising whether fluoride should be added to drinking water supplies in the uk hmso,1962. Environmental protection agency epa is required to establish the concentrations of contaminants that are permitted in public drinking water systems. Today, even in an era when fluoride toothpaste is widely used, the centers for disease control and prevention report that fluoridated water reduces tooth decay by 25% over a lifetime. As per the who or world health organization, the benefits of fluoride in drinking water or water fluoridation are best for the economically poor individuals, who. Is fluoridated water better for your health or not. Water fluoridation can reduce tooth decay in a community by providing frequent and consistent contact with low levels of fluoride 67. Report on sources of fluoride, health effects, guidelines and standards, analytic methods, country data and indices of severity of dental fluorosis. Simply by drinking water, americans can benefit from fluoride s cavity protection video. Water fluoridation is a powerful strategy in our efforts to eliminate differences in health among people and is consistent with my emphasis on the importance of prevention.
Environmental protection agency epa because it can occur at these toxic levels. Beaver water district adds fluoride to the drinking water at the recommended concentration of 0. After seven decades of evidence, every major health organization agrees. Fluoridation of public drinking water one of the top ten. Review of the benefits and costs of water fluoridation in.
Fluoride in water is colourless, odourless and tasteless. Centers for disease control and prevention has recognized the fluoridation of drinking water as one of ten great public health achievements of the twentieth century. The epa mcl for fluoride ion in water is 4 mgl and the health canada mac for fluoride is 1. Before the widespread use of fluoride containing toothpastes, fluoride in water natural or fluoridated was the main source of exposure in adults and children. The wisconsin public water supply fluoridation census provides information on the fluoride status of public water systems. Fluoride in drinking water since 2011, arkansas state law has required all systems serving more than 5000 people to add fluoride to drinking water. Fluoridated supplies there are currently 46 water treatment plants in new zealand that add. The debate over fluoridation goes back roughly 70 years to when communities began fluoridating water to prevent tooth decay. Support for water fluoridation since 1950, the american dental association ada. Fluoride has no taste, color or odor so it must be tested by laboratory analysis. Although the evidence is clear that fluoride is good for.
Pdf water fluoridation and health medical research council. Series h150 07, american housing survey for the united states. The code of practice for fluoridation of drinkingwater. Water fluoridation prevents dental decay in all ages. By the late 1930s, he and his staff had made a critical discovery. Fluoride in drinking water introduction and occurrence fluoride occurs naturally in some limited areas of new hampshires bedrock, most notably in the mt. Fluoridation of drinkingwater supplies in new zealand. Water fluoridation is recommended by key public health agencies around the world as an important contribution to health equity as the benefit of dental decay prevention is greater for maori, children, and those in low socioeconomic groups. With answers to frequently asked questions, this ebook shares the scientific truth about community water fluoridation. Country data on dental and skeletal fluorosis associated with exposure to fluoride through drinkingwater.
In the drinking water standards for new zealand 2005 revised 2008 the ministry of health recommends that the fluoride content in new zealand drinking water should be in the range of 0. Almost all water has some naturally occurring fluoride, but usually not enough to prevent tooth decay. Bartram, water, sanitation and health, who, geneva, switzerland. The centers for disease control and prevention named community water fluoridation one of 10 great public. Fluoridation of the drinking water is a public policy whose aim is to improve dental health. In 1986, the epa established a maximum allowable concentration for fluoride in drinking water of 4 milligrams per liter, a guideline designed to prevent the public from being exposed to. As of 2012, 25 countries have supplemental water fluoridation to varying degrees, and 11 of them have more than 50% of their population drinking fluoridated water. Fluoride is one of the drinking water contaminants regulated by the u. Drinking water standards are designed to check the safety of products added to drinking water. Samples were obtained from 19 communal water supplies in massachusetts 11 fluoridated and from 7 in colorado and n.
Water fluoridation is the deliberate addition of fluoride into drinking water in accordance with scientific and dental guidelines. Fluoride in drinkingwater world health organization. However groundwater in many countries has exceeding. Fluoride occurs naturally in the environment and groundwater may contain fluoride levels that are above the optimal level. Water fluoridation in connecticut what is water fluoridation.
1010 274 891 1148 485 1527 1129 1460 974 1480 1594 1130 1553 40 665 302 1250 1198 1109 1314 959 400 229 673 857 93 983 1485 229