Fluoride is back in the news thanks to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). This study aimed to examine neurobehavioral problems in children with higher prenatal fluoride exposure. Publication of the study comes on the heels of recent activity in the Georgia Senate that would have expanded communities’ ability to remove fluoride from their drinking water. Fluoridated drinking water has long been recognized as a key public health achievement, one of the 10 greatest of the 20th century. Both events suggest a continued need for public health education on the benefits of water fluoridation. Adding fluoride to public water sources has led to over 70 years of improvements in oral health. Fluoride functions as a natural cavity fighter by making tooth enamel stronger and rebuilding weakened enamel. Studies show that community water fluoridation reduces tooth decay by over 25% in children and adults, and the lifetime cost of fluoridation for one person is less than the cost of a single filling, making it an extremely cost-effective public health intervention. Ensuring water fluoridation remains a public health priority is a goal of the Georgia Dental Association (GDA). What Happened Recently? Several recent events suggest a need for continuing public education on the benefits of fluoride. First, legislation was briefly introduced in the Georgia Senate which A Continuing Need for Public Education on the Benefits of Fluoride Written by Jon Hoin, GDA Health Policy Specialist would have altered the rules governing regulation of fluoride levels in Georgians’ drinking water. The Senate Natural Resources Committee ultimately tabled SB408, and under current law, Georgia communities retain the ability to hold a referendum on water fluoridation if they so choose. Fluoridated water typically comes from community water systems, but even within these systems, not everyone receives fluoridated water. Over 30 Georgia counties with community water systems did not provide fluoridated water to a quarter or more of the people served in 2023. 14 | Sept 2024
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