Fluoridation

Water fluoridation is defined as adding a chemical to increase the concentration of fluoride ions in drinking water. Natural fluoride compounds are found in ground water in some regions. Fluoridation chemicals are typically added to potable water in the form of sodium hexafluorosilicate, hexafluorosilicic acid or hydrofluorosilic acid.

Fluoride may be beneficial for dental health at very low doses, although the chemical is toxic at moderate to high doses. The goal of water fluoridation is to reduce tooth decay and all the health problems that go along with dental trouble. One of the benefits of water fluoridation is that the cost is minimal to the community.

Acceptance of water fluoridation is debated; some countries fluoridate, and some countries have rejected, banned or stopped fluoridation due to environmental, health, legal or ethical concerns.

Expert Opinions

According to the American Dental Association Web site, the association has continuously endorsed the fluoridation of community water supplies and the use of fluoride-containing products as safe and effective measures for preventing tooth decay.

“Community water fluoridation continues to be the most cost-effective, equitable and safe means to provide protection from tooth decay in a community,” said Vice Admiral Richard Carmona, the U.S. surgeon general from 2002 to 2006. His statement was included in a two-page pamphlet produced by the ADA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Oral Health.

Opposition to Fluoridation

People who oppose water fluoridation often engage in activism against the addition of fluoride chemicals to public water supplies. Activists are concerned about the lack of quality research data available, ethical issues and evidence that it may cause serious health problems.

Dental fluorosis is an adverse health condition that is caused by an overdose of fluoride. In its severe form, it is characterized by black and brown stains, as well as cracking and pitting of the teeth.

Water fluoridation has also been linked, although the data is contested, to a weakening of bones, liver damage, impaired kidney function, cancer, a lowering of IQ and many other health complications.