Community Water Fluoridation
KFL&A Public Health supports community water fluoridation as an effective way to prevent tooth decay
KFL&A Public Health supports community water fluoridation (transcript) |
| Hello, my name is Dr. Kieran Moore. I am the Medical Officer of Health for Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington Public Health. I would like to briefly chat with you today about the benefits of community water fluoridation. I have worked in this community as an emerge physician and family physician and have seen first-hand, the over 900 visits to the emergency department for dental infections and illness in our community.
The commonest surgery for children in our community is actually for dental caries and that is true across many areas of Ontario, in communities that don’t have water fluoridation. There is a tremendous burden of illness associated with dental decay and the community water fluoridation program could decrease this burden of illness. Community water fluoridation is natural, it’s the addition of fluoride which is a naturally occurring ingredient in water sources. And it, at certain levels, will benefit and protect against dental decay in our community. Small amounts of fluoride occur naturally in our water system but, aren’t at the optimal level to best protect against tooth decay and cavities. As a result, over 70 per cent of the communities in Ontario have added a small amount of fluoride to best protect the dental health of everyone in our community. Community water fluoridation is cost effective. For every $1 that our community invests in community water fluoridation, we have over $38, on average, of savings for dental care. A tremendous return on investment that benefits everyone in our community. |
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Community water fluoridation is the process of monitoring and adjusting the fluoride level in drinking water to the recommended, optimal and therapeutic level for prevention of tooth decay. Municipal water supplies in KFL&A are not currently fluoridated.
Water fluoridation is supported locally, nationally and internationally by major medical, dental, and health organizations for the prevention of tooth decay. Past and current evidence indicates that water fluoridation, at the recommended level is an effective, safe and equitable way to prevent and reduce tooth decay for people of all ages.
Why fluoride in your tap water is a good thing
Why fluoride in your tap water is a good thing (transcript) |
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00:00 Fluoride in our community water is a good thing. 00:03 Here's why: community water fluoridation is considered one of ten great public 00:09 health achievements of the 20th century. In fact, over 100 National Health 00:15 Organizations recognize the public health benefits of fluoride in our 00:19 community water. It's so important that we prevent tooth decay which can be very a serious disease. 00:26 It's not really one fluoridation helps adults as well as children we have 00:31 evidence of people keeping their teeth longer thank goodnesst. It's effective. 00:37 I'm a mom, I'm a dental hygienist and I'm also a researcher. And I like to wear all 00:43 three hats. I always try to find the best science evidence when I'm trying to make 00:47 decisions about my children and fluoride, especially through comunity water fluoridation, is one 00:53 of those no-brainers. It's safe. 00:55 Fluoride in community water is absolutely safe -- 00:59 It's been used for over 70 years to help prevent tooth decay. Thousands of 01:04 Americans are being misinformed of the safety benefits of fluoridation. 01:09 Now if they go to a credible source they go to CDC the Centers for Disease Control 01:14 they go to the American Dental Association if they go to ILIKEMYTEETH.ORG 01:19 and they go to credible sources they get the facts and true science 01:23 and information. I have absolutely no concern about community water fluoridation 01:28 harming children. I'm actually more concerned about not having fluoride. 01:33 Fluoride is natural. Its a fact that fluoride is naturally present in soil, rivers, 01:39 lakes and even the ocean. Water fluoridation is the addition of fluoride 01:46 up to the recommended level for preventing tooth decay. 01:49 It's similar to fortifying other foods and beverages like fortifying salt with 01:53 iodine, milk with vitamin D, orange juice with calcium and bread with folic acid. 01:59 It's preventive. Why do you need to treat the disease when you can prevent it. it makes sense to prevent disease 02:08 And it's not just saving teeth, it's saving money. Every dollar 02:12 invested in water fluoridation saves money for families and our communities. 02:16 That's great news. This gives us the opportunity to to help all Americans be 02:21 protected from not only mouth disease 02:25 but full body disease. We are all a network in a community that rely on one another for 02:30 the well-being of ourselves in our own children. And community water 02:33 fluoridation is a really important example of joining together as a 02:38 community investing in ourselves as a community so that we can raise our 02:42 children in in the most healthy way possible. You want to make an impact on 02:47 a community, fluoridation is the foundation for better oral health. Get the facts. Protect 02:53 your health. Find out more. Visit ADA.ORG/FLUORIDE |
Community water fluoridation frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Does Kingston adjust the level of fluoride in municipal drinking water? |
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No. Municipal water supplies in KFL&A do not have optimal levels of fluoride. Small amounts of fluoride occur naturally in our water, but not at a high enough level to protect teeth. |
Why is fluoride added to community drinking water? |
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Fluoride has been proven to help keep teeth healthy. Adding fluoride to community drinking water is the most efficient and cost-effective way to provide community members with the proven protection of fluoride against tooth decay. Community water fluoridation adjusts the level of naturally occurring fluoride to an optimal concentration to protect against tooth decay.
Adapted and reproduced with permission of Public Health, Region of Peel. |
Do other cities and municipalities adjust the level of fluoride in their water? |
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Yes. Seven out of 10 Ontario residents (71%) have access to fluoridated water. Our neighbouring cities of Belleville and Brockville offer fluoridated water, as do Ottawa, Toronto, and many others. |
What additive is used for community water fluoridation? |
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Fluorosilicic acid (FSA) is used to adjust the level of naturally occurring fluoride in the water in other communities. The FSA meets the industry and the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change accepted standards.
Adapted and reproduced with permission of Public Health, Region of Peel. |
How much fluoride is added to community drinking water? |
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In communities with community water fluoridation, the level of naturally occurring fluoride in the municipal water supply is adjusted to an optimal concentration range to protect against tooth decay, between 0.5 and 0.8 milligrams per litre (mg/L) which can also be described as 0.5 to 0.8 parts per million (ppm). This range is recommended by the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change in the Technical Support Document for Ontario Drinking Water Standards, Objectives and Guidelines.
Adapted and reproduced with permission of Public Health, Region of Peel. |
What other forms of fluoride are available and where can you get it? |
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Getting fluoride from different sources gives you the best protection from tooth decay. Drinking fluoridated water reduces tooth decay in children and adults, even when other sources of fluoride (like toothpaste and fluoride varnish at the dentist) are used. After looking at all the ways we get fluoride, including toothpaste and varnish, Health Canada recommends that communities fluoridate water at 0.7 parts per million. |
Is water fluoridation harmful to health? |
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No. Scientific research strongly supports community water fluoridation as safe and effective to help protect against tooth decay. Fluoride in the safe concentrations found in municipal water supplies in Canada is continuously-monitored and does not pose any health hazards to humans of any age. The only known adverse effect is dental fluorosis, which is a cosmetic concern only, and does not affect the function of the teeth.
Adapted and reproduced with permission of Public Health, Region of Peel. |
Is there fluoride in well water or spring water in KFL&A? |
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There are trace amounts of naturally occurring fluoride in almost all water. Very few known areas in the KFL&A region have natural occurring fluoride at the optimal level of 0.7 parts per million, and none have levels that exceed the maximum acceptable concentration of 1.5 parts per million. |
Who monitors the drinking water in Kingston? |
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Utilities Kingston monitors drinking water quality for the City of Kingston. It publishes annual reports on drinking water quality which describe naturally-occurring fluoride levels and other parameters tested by accredited laboratories. |
Who supports community water fluoridation? |
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Over 90 national and international health, medical, and dental organizations support water fluoridation as a public health measure to prevent tooth decay, including:
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For more information on the science of community water fluoridation, please consult the Community Water Fluoridation Programs: A Health Technology Assessment.
Resources:
- Campaign for Dental Health - American Academy of Pediatrics
- Community Water Fluoridation - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Community Water Fluoridation - Ontario Dental Association
- Fluoride Fact Sheet - Government of Canada
- Fluoride and Human Health - Health Canada
- Fluoride Position Statement - Government of Canada
- Myths and Facts about Community Water Fluoridation - Americal Academy of Pediatrics
- Dentists promoting Community Fluoridated Water