Community Water Fluoridation Now Reaches Nearly 70 percent of U.S.
Population
Nearly 70 percent of U.S. residents who get water from community water
systems now receive fluoridated water, according to a study by the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention.
The proportion of the U.S. population receiving fluoridated water, about 184
million people, increased from 62.1 percent in 1992 to 69.2 percent in 2006,
said the study in the July 11th. edition of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly
Reports.
“Community water fluoridation is an equitable, cost-effective, and
cost-saving method of delivering fluoride to most people,” said Dr. William
Maas, director of CDC′s Division of Oral Health. “We′ve seen some marked
improvements; however, there are still too many states that have not met the
national goal. The national goal is that 75 percent of U.S. residents who are on
community water systems be receiving fluoridated water by 2010.”
Fluoride, a naturally occurring compound in the environment, can reduce or
prevent tooth decay. Adding or maintaining tiny levels of fluoride in drinking
water is a safe and effective public health measure to prevent and control tooth
decay (dental caries). The second half of the 20th century saw a major decline
in the prevalence and severity of dental caries, attributed in part to the
increasing use of fluoride. Based upon studies and a systematic review, the U.S.
Task Force on Community Preventive Services reported that fluoridation resulted
in a median 29.1 percent relative decrease in tooth decay.
The report, “Populations
Receiving Optimally Fluoridated Public Drinking Water—United States 1992–2006,”
provides the most recent information on the status of fluoridated water by
state. The report says the percentage of people served by community water
systems with optimal levels (which are defined by the state and vary based on
such things as the climate) of fluoridated water ranged from 8.4 percent in
Hawaii to 100 percent in the District of Columbia. Twenty-five states and the
District of Columbia have met or exceeded national objectives, while 25 states
need improvements. Three states (Colorado, Delaware and Nebraska) that
previously reached the national objective dropped below the target by 2006.
During 1998–2006, CDC developed the Water Fluoridation Reporting System (WFRS),
a Web-based method to support management of state fluoridation programs and to
collect these data. The state has administrative oversight on water fluoridation
and CDC relies on state dental or drinking water programs to provide
fluoridation data, including populations served, fluoridation status, fluoride
concentration, and fluoride source for individual community water systems.
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Historical Document
Page last modified: July 15, 2008
Content source:
Division of Oral Health,
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and
Health Promotion |
