The Challenge

The Facts: Fluoridation

Fluoridation is one of the simplest and most cost-effective tools for improving oral health, yet nearly half of the residents in our state do not have fluoridated water.

  • Fluoridation reduces tooth decay by up to 40% and benefits everyone, from children to seniors.
  • Only half of Washington State residents have access to fluoridated water.
  • All water sources naturally contain fluoride, but some water sources do not contain enough fluoride to maintain adequate oral health. Fluoridation is simply a slight adjustment of a water source's fluoride content to the level proven to be optimal for good oral health.
  • Over two-thirds of all U.S. residents have stronger teeth and improved oral health because of fluoridation, and the number is growing. Nearly every large city in the U.S. fluoridates, and smaller communities are rapidly catching up.
  • As soon as you begin drinking water with adequate levels of fluoride, your teeth start becoming stronger, and at every point in your life, your teeth benefit from a very tiny yet regular supply of fluoride.
  • Dental caries is the most common chronic childhood disease in America, affecting 50% of first graders, and 80% of 17 year-olds.
  • Preschoolers living in communities where the water is fluoride-deficient are three times more likely to require dental treatment in a hospital operating room.
  • Seniors are at a high risk for gum recession. Drinking water with adequate fluoride helps seniors keep their teeth because it strengthens teeth right down to the root.
  • Based on more than 50 years of scientific research, and thousands of studies, fluoridation is regarded by experts as one of the most effective public health measures a community can take.
  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identified fluoridation as one of the Top 10 Public Health Achievements of the last 100 years.
  • The U.S. Surgeon General said, "Fluoridation is the single most effective public health measure to prevent tooth decay and improve oral health over a lifetime, for both children and adults."
  • One in three children enrolled in Washington's Medicaid program receives dental services. Fluoridating could substantially reduce the need for many of these procedures, saving taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars every year.
  • Fluoridation costs just 50 cents per person per year. Filling just one cavity costs over $80. For a family, fluoridation could add up to a savings of hundreds of dollars every year.