Letter: Promoting fluoride

As many of you know, community water fluoridation has been front and center in the news (“ADA leaders: Continue covering preventive services, fluoride,” June ADA News).

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has openly and consistently expressed his criticism and concern for community water fluoridation and has advocated for its discontinuation. He has even begun a campaign to make fluoride supplements illegal.

Two states, Utah and Florida, as well as several local communities across the country, have voted to halt community water fluoridation. Community water fluoridation adversaries have trumpeted questionable studies that have been repeated in the mainstream media, warning of decreased IQ in children at a water fluoride concentration more than twice the recommended level, as well as other maladies previously not considered as serious scientific theories.

I want to assure you loudly and strongly that your American Dental Association is here to help. The ADA is a science-based organization that relies on information from rigorous, randomized clinical trials; legitimate systematic reviews; and proven meta-analysis hypotheses associated with oral and overall health.

As an association, we base our support of community water fluoridation and fluoride supplements on the plethora of studies completed over the past 80 years demonstrating their safety and efficacy. Simply put, 80 years of sound science have validated the importance of this public health measure that has helped millions of Americans safely and effectively prevent tooth decay. Community water fluoridation at the properly titrated level, 0.7 milligrams per liter or .7 parts per million, has been shown to decrease the rate of caries by 25% in multiple studies done in the United States and around the world. We are also ready to assist in any new studies to further validate the safety and effectiveness of fluoride at the optimal level at any time.

Approximately five months ago, the American Dental Association launched the ADA Fluoride Ambassador program. It includes dentists, hygienists, dental assistants, medical providers and community leaders who want to help stem the tide of disinformation and illegitimate research that has fueled the ill-placed hysteria of fluoride’s harmfulness.

This new group has met four times via online forums to discuss the latest news and updates, as well as hear from experts on community water fluoridation. We have facilitated the participation of ADA dentists, office team members and dental executive directors at hearings, interviews and discussions that have been going on around the country, joining with local nurses, physicians, pediatricians and the public in continued support of the health benefits of water fluoridation.

We passionately express our continued support for, through scientific evidence and practical experience, the safety and efficacy of water fluoridation. We are gathering national statistics to keep track of successes and disappointments throughout the country. The good news is that, to date, we have been successful in staving off prohibitions and limitations on community water fluoridation in 15 states, including New Hampshire, Louisiana, Texas and Tennessee.

What can you do to help as an ADA member? Get involved! We need you and your office team members and community leaders, such as local doctors and school nurses, to participate in our efforts. If you receive news about a local hearing, you and your staff members can testify to either retain water fluoridation or initiate it in your community. Consider taking a tour of your local water plant to meet the engineers and share useful fluoridation information with them, and invite your local elected officials to join.

The ADA is here to provide expert information on the latest scientific evidence and help you prepare to testify. If you do not feel comfortable in that role, we can send experts to help.

The bottom line is we need your assistance. The primary goal is to keep community water fluoridation at or above the current national level of 72% and to help our fellow citizens understand how water fluoridation — in place for 80 years — benefits everyone in terms of preventing cavities. Pain from untreated cavities is a major cause of millions of missed hours of school and work. We also want our neighbors to be aware that this is a safe and cost-effective endeavor that saves money on treatment costs. Ultimately, it is critical to continue to raise our voice in support of community water fluoridation and raise awareness that it can decrease morbidity and mortality in the United States.

If you would like to get involved or need more information, please contact Jane Grover, D.D.S., senior director for the ADA Council on Advocacy for Access and Prevention, at groverj@ada.org or 312-440-2751.
 
Brendan Dowd, D.D.S.
ADA trustee, Second District