Sacramento Water Fluoridation
For some reason, water fluoridation always seems to be a hot button issue. In the last two centuries research has shown that rates of cavities in populations with water fluoridation have decreased dramatically. That should seem like a good thing, right? The amount of fluoride that is added to public drinking water is miniscule… measured in parts per million. We’re talking really small amounts of fluoride. Yes, in large doses fluoride can be toxic. But what can’t?
For the past one hundred years, fluoride has been our best, and really only, defense against cavities. It’s only in the past 20 years that bacterial studies have even been correlated with cavities. So, until there’s a better solution, I’m voting for fluoridation.
While researching for this post, I came across comments stating that fluoride causes obesity, hypothyroid, and any number of other physical and social ills. Well, I’ve never heard anything proving those claims, and I have seen kids who have grown up with fluoridated water who have no cavities. Compare this to other kids I’ve seen who grew up on well water whose mouths are riddled with decay. This has saved these children time, their parent’s money and unmeasurable amounts of discomfort experienced in the dental chair.
Those children living in fluoridated communities that drink tap water or use it in cooking or for other beverages do not need additional fluoride supplementation. The area right around my office unfortunately does not fluoridate, so I write a lot of prescriptions for fluoride. To find out if your area has fluoride, check out the Sacramento County map:
For additional information, the Sacramento District Dental Society has a great page that explains a lot about fluoridation in the greater Sacramento Area, including counties other than Sacramento. For more information visit: http://www.sdds.org/F-FluorInSac.htm
Yours in good (dental) health,
Dr. Stefanie Shore, DDS