Know the FRIENDS of fluoride

Here are the facts, plain and simple, about community water fluoridation: it is effective, it saves you and your community money and it is safe. Learn more about the facts below.

Fluoridated Water is EFFECTIVE

• Fluoridated water can reduce tooth decay by up to 40%.
• Studies from across the country show that fluoridated water reduces the number of people in a community that have cavities and other oral health problems. Here are the findings from a few of those studies:

1. A 2010 study in New York found that low-income residents in less fluoridated counties needed 33% more fillings, root canals and extractions than those in counties where fluoridated water was common.
2. An Alaskan study released in 2011 shows that children living in non-fluoridated areas had a 32% higher rate of decayed, missing or filled teeth than children in fluoridated communities.
3. The author of a 2010 fluoridation study concluded that the research confirms that “the most effective source of fluoride” is water fluoridation.

• If you have trouble getting you and/or your kids to the dentist, whether that is because there is not a dentist close to you, because you can’t afford it, or for some other reason, fluoridated water can help you and/or your kids prevent cavities and tooth pain.

Fluoridated Water SAVES YOU and Your Community MONEY

• Every $1 invested in fluoridated water saves $38 in dental costs.
• Fluoridated water is 70 times cheaper than fluoride supplements, 1/2 the cost of fluoride rinse, and cheaper than varnishes and gels.
• When everyone has access to fluoridated water, fewer Medicaid dollars are spent on dental care. Those without dental care access benefit from better oral health, and we all benefit from less Medicaid spending.
• National savings from water fluoridation: $3.84 billion each year as estimated by scientists who testified before Congress in 1995.
• These states learned the cost benefits of community water fluoridation:

1. Texas confirmed that the state saved $24 per child, per year in Medicaid expenditures for dental care because of fluoridated water.
2. New York found in 2010 that the treatment costs per Medicaid recipient were $23.65 higher for those living in less fluoridated counties.
3. In 2003, Colorado was estimated to have saved nearly $149 million in unnecessary treatment costs by fluoridating public water supplies – a savings of roughly $61 per person.

Fluoridated Water is SAFE

There is absolutely no reason to believe that fluoridated water causes:
• Cancer
• Lowered IQ in children
• Thyroid problems
• Skeletal fluorosis
• Kidney Disease
• Or any other condition that harms the well-being of you and/or your children.
That is all there is to it.
To access more information about the safety of fluoridated water, visit www.fluoridescience.org

The FACTS about Water Fluoridation

Ever wonder why fluoride in the drinking water is important, given that it’s already in toothpaste and fluoride varnish? Kansas Dental Director Cathy Taylor-Osborne explains why in this video.

KANSAS HEALTH INSTITUTE Community Water Fluoridation Video

The Kansas Health Institute is an independent, nonprofit health policy and research organization that informs policymakers about important issues affecting the health of Kansans. In this video, Tatiana Lin, Senior Analyst & Strategy Team Leader at the Kansas Health Institute, explains community water fluoridation and its benefits.