The disease often meant many visits to the dentist to have damaged and painful teeth repaired or removed. Today, primarily as a result of fluoride, damage caused by this problem can be reduced and, in most instances, prevented. If the home water supply has been verified to contain a low concentration of fluoride other types of fluoride are available. Ask your dental practitioner about dietary fluoride, toothpastes, mouthrinses, and professionally applied fluoride treatments available in the dental office. The most inexpensive way to deliver the benefits of fluoride to all residents of a community is through water fluoridation.
All water contains some fluoride naturally.
When a community fluoridates its water, it adjusts the level of fluoride in the water to prevent decay. Extensive research conducted over the past 50 years has shown time and time again that fluoridation of public water supplies is a safe and effective way to reduce the incidence of dental caries for all community residents. Independent studies initiated in 1945 and 1946 followed four communities and assessed the value of water fluoridation. The CDC reports that more recent studies show that water fluoridation will reduce dental caries in permanent teeth by approximately 17 to 40 percent. There are many sites on the internet with more information about fluoride.