The first major city in America to fluoridate their drinking water was Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1949. Since then, cities all across America have added fluoride to their water. Of the top 50 largest U.S. cities, only six are currently without it. Why so many?
Cities across the U.S. have caught on to what dentists have been saying since well before 1949: Fluoride is safe, effective, and cheap. Not only that, but it’s natural as well. Oceans and groundwater naturally contain fluoride, and the public waterworks only have to adjust it to a better level.
Fluoride is a solution packed with minerals that strengthens your enamel. As you eat, the acid in your food causes demineralization, which weakens your teeth. Rinsing with a fluoride solution reinforces the enamel and reverses early decay, giving your teeth a chance to rebuild without succumbing to the acid and sugar in your diet. It’s extremely effective for your dental health.
Fluoride is also remarkably cost effective. According to the American Dental Association, it costs less to fluoridate one person’s water over the course of their life than it does to give them one dental filling. Every $1 invested in water fluoridation saves $38 in dental treatment costs — not to mention the millions of school and work hours that it saves nationwide with fewer people at the dentist. Talk about bang for buck.
You can find out whether your town has fluoridated water by going to nccd.cdc.gov/DOG_MWF. You can also get a powerful and effective dose the next time you visit us for your regular cleaning! As U.S. cities know, fluoride is equally friendly to your teeth and your wallet.