3/21/2007 - bacteria that causes caries.

Some say fluoride is mass medication. Fluoridation of community drinking water is analogous to adding folic acid to some wheat and cereal products to prevent some birth defects, to adding iodide to salt to prevent hypothyroidism (goiter), to adding chlorine to water to disinfect it, and to adding vitamin D to milk for bone health. These are all public health measures. In the case of community drinking water fluoridation, the public health measure is a matter of assuring that this naturally-occurring element is found in concentrations in public drinking water that is optimal for dental health.

Some say that countries in Europe are discontinuing community water fluoridation. A number of European countries (France, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Hungary, for example) choose to add fluoride to their salt rather than their water. Salt fluoridation can be as effective as water fluoridation. Therefore, these countries are fluoridated – simply by using salt rather than water.

Some have said that the National Research Council report does not support fluoridation of community drinking water. The latest report from the National Research Council, “Fluoride in Drinking Water”, from March 2006 has been grossly misrepresented. This report did not examine or call into question the safety of community water fluoridation. The report was conducted for the U. S EPA and focused on those with high exposure (four times the exposure from community fluoridated water sources) to fluoride from naturally-occurring fluoride (>4 mg/L) found in some occasional areas of the country. Those drinking water systems that adjust the fluoride for dental health purposes maintain concentrations of 0.7 – 1.2 mg/L. The report states: “Because fluoride is well known for its use in the prevention of dental caries, it is important to make the distinction here that EPA's drinking-water guidelines are not recommendations about adding fluoride to drinking water to protect the public from dental caries.” There is nothing in this report to support dangers from the lower intake of fluoride that occurs when an appropriate amount is in the water, entire naturally or after being adjusted for intentionally to assure dental health.

For more information: Maine CDC