Fluoridation In Water

Introduction:
Water is an essential living source for us humans and has a big impact on our everyday lives, thus people should be very concerned about what is actually in our tap water that we drink from everyday. The fluoride in the water can either occur naturally or by adding fluorine, by drinking a certain amount of fluoridated water each day can help to prevent tooth decay; the fluoridated water works on the surfaces of our teeth and causes the fluoride level in our saliva and hence reduces the rate of demineralisation of our tooth enamel, therefore increasing the rate at which it remineralised. There are some benefits of fluoridation in water but it could also potentially harm and cause disease for our human bodies. It has been claimed
Fluoride is a mineral that occurs naturally and is released from rocks into the soil, water, and air. Almost all water contains some fluoride, but usually not enough to prevent tooth decay. Fluoride can also be added to drinking water supplies as a public health measure for reducing cavities. Decisions about adding fluoride to drinking water are made at the state or local level. New Zealand is known as the country that had world’s worst teeth began fluoridation in 1953 due to the huge amount of sugar consumption. By 1968, 65% of the population used fluoridation served by a piped water
It has been said that it is one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce dental cavity and tooth decay now days. The money that people spend on dental care are very high, however water fluoridation is very low. The financial cost for water fluoridation is said to be approximately $4.20 a person per year, compared to a single surface filling which is approximately $117.25.[2] This shows that the cost of treating the decay of the tooth is almost 30 times more expensive than water fluoridation. The argument for water fluoridation is stronger especially in lower socio-economic people in the community. Research showed that in a town of 50,000 people, fluoridation would prevent an estimated 74,200 cases of decay over 30 years. It has been proven that children grew up in fluoridated areas have on average 40 per cent less tooth decay than children in non-fluoridated areas.[3] New Zealand research published in 2003 confirmed that decay severity was 31% lower in 5-year-old and 41% lower in 12-year-old children living in fluoridated Wellington than in non-fluoridated Canterbury. Lee M and Dennison PJ, 2004, Water fluoridation and dental caries in 5-and 12-year-old children from Canterbury and Wellington New Zealand Dental Journal 100(1):10-15. In 1964, the Privy council considered water fluoridation and stated that “the addition of fluoride adds no impurity and the water remains not only water