Water fluoridation for some should it be for all

Because dental products are generally not swallowed except, perhaps, by younger children , they cause less concern for possible health issues. Water fluoridation began in some parts of the United States in , after scientists noted that people living in areas with higher water fluoride levels had fewer cavities.

Fluoride is now used in the public drinking water supplied to about 3 out of 4 Americans. The decision to add fluoride to drinking water is made at the state or local level. The types of fluoride added to different water systems include fluorosilicic acid, sodium fluorosilicate, and sodium fluoride. Natural drinking water sources in the US also have some fluoride in them, although the levels are much higher in some places than in others. Fluoride is not required in all drinking water sources in the United States, but the levels of fluoride in water are regulated by several government agencies.

This recommendation was updated in to a fluoride level of 0. Natural drinking water sources in the US have an average fluoride level of about 0. Long-term exposure to levels higher than this can cause a condition called skeletal fluorosis , in which fluoride builds up in the bones.

This can eventually result in joint stiffness and pain, and can also lead to weak bones or fractures in older adults. The EPA has also set a secondary standard of no more than 2. In this condition, fluoride collects in developing teeth, preventing tooth enamel from forming normally.

This can cause permanent staining or pitting of teeth. The secondary standard is a guideline, as opposed to an enforceable regulation, but public water systems must tell their customers if the fluoride level goes above it. States can set maximum fluoride levels in drinking water that are lower than the national 4. The fluoride levels allowed vary based on the annual average air temperature in the place where the water is sold.

For bottled water with no fluoride added, the maximum fluoride level allowed is 2. For water in which fluoride is added, the maximum allowed is 1.

However, if fluoride is added, the FDA recommends that manufacturers not go above 0. People have raised questions about the safety and effectiveness of water fluoridation since it first began. Over the years, many studies have looked at the possible link between fluoride and cancer.

There was no evidence of cancer-causing potential in female rats or in male or female mice. Most of the concern about cancer seems to be around osteosarcoma. One theory on how fluoridation might affect the risk of osteosarcoma is based on the fact that fluoride tends to collect in parts of bones where they are growing. These areas, known as growth plates , are where osteosarcomas typically develop. The theory is that fluoride might somehow cause the cells in the growth plate to grow faster, which might make them more likely to eventually become cancerous.

More than 50 population-based studies have looked at the potential link between water fluoride levels and cancer.

Most of these have not found a strong link to cancer. Just about all of the studies have been retrospective looking back in time. They have compared, for example, the rates of cancer in a community before and after water fluoridation, or compared cancer rates in communities with lower levels of fluoride in drinking water to those with higher levels either naturally or due to fluoridation.

Some factors are hard to control for in these types of studies that is, the groups being compared may be different in ways other than just the drinking water , so the conclusions reached by any single study must be looked at with caution.

And there are other issues that make this topic hard to study. For example, if fluoridation is a risk factor, is the type of fluoride used important? While almost all water contains naturally-occurring fluoride, the community water systems that serve most American households adjust the level, usually by adding fluoride to achieve the right amount to reduce tooth decay.

Health organizations say this is one of the major reasons most people no longer need the dentures that were so common before widespread fluoridation, and studies have shown that it is why dental costs are lower and oral health problems have declined in fluoridated communities — outcomes that have an important impact on our overall health.

Their reasons have evolved over time. This suggests that the added fluoride did have a protective effect on oral health, which is missing now that community water supplies no longer go through the fluoridation process.

Meyer and team also found that, as a consequence, the costs of providing dental care to Juneau inhabitants aged 0—18 years had significantly increased in compared with , even after adjusting to accommodate the effects of inflation.

However, a more intriguing finding of the study was that children younger than 7 years received more numerous interventions for the treatment of cavities in than children who were in the same age group in Once more, the researchers found a corresponding increase in costs for dental care in young children in Since fluoride occurs naturally in water, community water sources for Juneau still contain some of this mineral even after the cessation of artificial fluoridation.

Fluoride is found naturally in soil, water, and foods. It is added to water to help prevent tooth decay, but not everyone agrees with this. Find out…. Drinking raw water is a relatively new health phenomenon, but are the rumors about its health benefits true, or is it dangerous? Find out here. 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.