Which fluoride in water

For adults, drinking water with fluoride supports tooth enamel, keeping teeth strong and healthy. The health benefits of fluoride include having:. In the s, scientists examined the relationship between tooth decay in children and naturally occurring fluoride in drinking water. The study found that children who drank water with naturally high levels of fluoride had less tooth decay. Many suffered from toothaches and painful extractions—often losing permanent teeth, including molars, even as teenagers.

After much scientific research , in , the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan, was the first to add fluoride to its city water system in order to provide residents with the benefits of fluoride. This process of testing the water supply for fluoride and adjusting it to the right amount to prevent cavities is called community water fluoridation.

Because of its contribution to the dramatic decline in tooth decay over the past 75 years , CDC named community water fluoridation as 1 of 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century. See where your state ranks in percent of the population that receives water with fluoride.

Community water fluoridation has been shown to save money, both for families and the health care system. The return on investment for community water fluoridation varies with size of the community, increasing as the community size increases.

Community water fluoridation is cost-saving, even for small communities. Learn more about this goal external icon. Effectiveness of fluoride in preventing caries in adults. J Dent Res. Fluoridation FAQ. Science-based answers to common questions about fluoride in water. Recent fluoride issues. Facts on new fluoridation systems, overall health effects and more.

More about fluoridation and oral health. It prevents tooth decay. Fluoride in water is the most efficient way to prevent cavities, one of the most common childhood diseases. An estimated 51 million school hours and million work hours are lost each year due to dental-related illness. Community water fluoridation is so effective at preventing tooth decay that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention named it one of the 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century.

It protects all ages against cavities. Studies show that fluoride in community water systems prevents at least 25 percent of tooth decay in children and adults, even with widespread public access to fluoride from other sources such as fluoride toothpaste.

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