Pros And Cons Of Water Fluoridation
According to the Center for Disease Control, three out of four Americans drink fluoridated water. Though Portland, Oregon is one of the 50 largest cities in America it does not have pipes flowing with fluoride enriched water. Since 1940, public health officials have added fluoride to water in order to reduce dental decay in school-aged children and reduce changes of dental caries in adults. Water fluoridation is an important public health intervention that reduces oral health disparities and increases the health of the population and it had been proven by many articles to be “the most effective public health measure for the prevention of dental decay” (WHO, 2016). Fluoride is a naturally occurring, this mineral can be found in natural water that hasn’t been processed and can also be found in many food sources; yet, children can only get a low dose of this important mineral through food and naturally occurring water (well, springs, river). This is not a problem because scientists have found a way to strengthen the fluoride concentration to be added to water to help with strengthening enamel of the teeth and prevent toxic bacteria from creating cavities. It is
…show more content…
important to have fluoridated water to decrease rate oral care needed by residents living in Portland, Oregon.
Statement of Issue:
In 2012, Oregon Smile Survey taken in 82 schools found that more than 50% of children in Oregon have/had cavities. Additionally, more than 17,000 children have rampant decay (seven or more teeth). The results of this survey show that the Oregon rate of tooth decay is above the goals set by Healthy People 2020, and there needs to be an intervention implemented to ensure the goals of healthy people 2020 are met. School-based fluoride supplement programs used to be implemented in Portland public school, but it is no longer the case and when it was kids were not given the fluoride pills everyday like they should have been. Thus, the need for having community water fluoridation is higher than it has ever been. Since the majority of Oregon’s population reside in Portland, it is important to find preventative intervention that can be applied to help reduce the occurrence of teeth decayed, and it is believed that having water fluoridation is one of those interventions.
Policy change:
Dr. Chiodo of OHSU school of dentistry supports the fluoridating water for Portland residents after researching and learning about “65 years of fluoridation history and more than 3,000 published studies supporting this primary prevention measure.” According to the American Dental Association, sixty percent of children who lived in cities offering water fluoridation did not have any “cavities on their baby teeth and dental cavities in adult teeth had decreased by 35% with fluoridation” (ADA, 2005). Due to all of this evidence, it is important to implement water fluoridation because it only has beneficial effects for children, but also adults. “Adults with access to fluoridated water for a longer period had less dental caries experience (decayed, missing, and filled teeth—DMFT) and less treated and untreated dental caries (DMF)” (Peres, Peres, Barbato, & Höfelmann, 2016). Portland is highly encouraged to implement water fluoridation because adults who have had the shortest lifetime exposure to fluoridated water required a higher level of dental care compared to those who had longer exposure to fluoridated water (more than 75% of their life) (Peres et al, 2016). Based on theses findings it is highly encouraged that water fluoridation if to be implemented in Portland, OR. The advantages out weight the cost in the longer run.
Advantages: The following reasons are why it is important to provide some sort of fluoridation in Portland.
• For every dollar spent on water fluoridation, $38 are saved in dental care (CDC).
•
35 percent of Oregon kids have untreated tooth decay (Chiodo, 2011).
• On average, data showed that there is a decrease in dental caries, also known as tooth decay or cavities, by 25 percent in community with water fluoridation (ADA, 2005). The table to the right, compares the rate of missing teeth, decay, and cavities of kids age 5-7 in 2008, 2010, and 2012 (new batch of participants all of the years). This study shows that long-term water fluoridation decreased the prevalence of decayed, missing, and filled teeth (Blinkhorn, Byun, Mehta, & Kay, 2015).
• There are over 3,000 published studies that support water fluoridation and more than 20 studies that shows a decrease in adult caries when living in fluoridated communities (Chiodo, 2011).
Disadvantage: Many people do not support the idea of community water fluoridation, due to the documented risk that is limited to dental fluorosis, which is an alteration to the enamel, nothing more than “cosmetic in its most common form. Changes range from barely visible lacy white markings in milder cases to pitting of the teeth in the rare, severe form” (Weno, 2015). Due to this the Department of Human and Health Services have adjusted the community water fluoridation “recommendation to a single level of 0.7 mg of fluoride per liter of water, updating the previously recommended range (0.7–1.2 mg/L) issued in 1962 (Ran & Chattopadhyay, 2016). This change has reduced the risk for fluorosis because it is residents are not getting amounts that could cause fluorosis.
Policy Recommendation:
Water fluoridation is believed to be harmless, effective, and socioeconomically fair public health measure (Peres et al, 2016).
Scientists from various science and health disciplines at the CDC came together review pros and cons of water fluoridation. They reviewed most current peer-reviewed articles/publication about the effects of fluoridating water, and they found that there are no link connecting fluoridation and any of the following illness “risk for cancer, down syndrome, heart disease, osteoporosis, bone fractures, immune disorders, low intelligence, renal disorders, Alzheimer disease, or allergic reactions” (Weno, 2015). This finding disproves many objections to why Portland should not have water fluoridation, but also gives that many reasons why Portland should implement is effective
intervention.
Support to provide fluorides to children and adults in Portland is needed to improve oral health and decrease the prevalence of teeth decay in all individuals.
important to have fluoridated water to decrease rate oral care needed by residents living in Portland, Oregon.
Statement of Issue:
In 2012, Oregon Smile Survey taken in 82 schools found that more than 50% of children in Oregon have/had cavities. Additionally, more than 17,000 children have rampant decay (seven or more teeth). The results of this survey show that the Oregon rate of tooth decay is above the goals set by Healthy People 2020, and there needs to be an intervention implemented to ensure the goals of healthy people 2020 are met. School-based fluoride supplement programs used to be implemented in Portland public school, but it is no longer the case and when it was kids were not given the fluoride pills everyday like they should have been. Thus, the need for having community water fluoridation is higher than it has ever been. Since the majority of Oregon’s population reside in Portland, it is important to find preventative intervention that can be applied to help reduce the occurrence of teeth decayed, and it is believed that having water fluoridation is one of those interventions.
Policy change:
Dr. Chiodo of OHSU school of dentistry supports the fluoridating water for Portland residents after researching and learning about “65 years of fluoridation history and more than 3,000 published studies supporting this primary prevention measure.” According to the American Dental Association, sixty percent of children who lived in cities offering water fluoridation did not have any “cavities on their baby teeth and dental cavities in adult teeth had decreased by 35% with fluoridation” (ADA, 2005). Due to all of this evidence, it is important to implement water fluoridation because it only has beneficial effects for children, but also adults. “Adults with access to fluoridated water for a longer period had less dental caries experience (decayed, missing, and filled teeth—DMFT) and less treated and untreated dental caries (DMF)” (Peres, Peres, Barbato, & Höfelmann, 2016). Portland is highly encouraged to implement water fluoridation because adults who have had the shortest lifetime exposure to fluoridated water required a higher level of dental care compared to those who had longer exposure to fluoridated water (more than 75% of their life) (Peres et al, 2016). Based on theses findings it is highly encouraged that water fluoridation if to be implemented in Portland, OR. The advantages out weight the cost in the longer run.
Advantages: The following reasons are why it is important to provide some sort of fluoridation in Portland.
• For every dollar spent on water fluoridation, $38 are saved in dental care (CDC).
•
35 percent of Oregon kids have untreated tooth decay (Chiodo, 2011).
• On average, data showed that there is a decrease in dental caries, also known as tooth decay or cavities, by 25 percent in community with water fluoridation (ADA, 2005). The table to the right, compares the rate of missing teeth, decay, and cavities of kids age 5-7 in 2008, 2010, and 2012 (new batch of participants all of the years). This study shows that long-term water fluoridation decreased the prevalence of decayed, missing, and filled teeth (Blinkhorn, Byun, Mehta, & Kay, 2015).
• There are over 3,000 published studies that support water fluoridation and more than 20 studies that shows a decrease in adult caries when living in fluoridated communities (Chiodo, 2011).
Disadvantage: Many people do not support the idea of community water fluoridation, due to the documented risk that is limited to dental fluorosis, which is an alteration to the enamel, nothing more than “cosmetic in its most common form. Changes range from barely visible lacy white markings in milder cases to pitting of the teeth in the rare, severe form” (Weno, 2015). Due to this the Department of Human and Health Services have adjusted the community water fluoridation “recommendation to a single level of 0.7 mg of fluoride per liter of water, updating the previously recommended range (0.7–1.2 mg/L) issued in 1962 (Ran & Chattopadhyay, 2016). This change has reduced the risk for fluorosis because it is residents are not getting amounts that could cause fluorosis.
Policy Recommendation:
Water fluoridation is believed to be harmless, effective, and socioeconomically fair public health measure (Peres et al, 2016).
Scientists from various science and health disciplines at the CDC came together review pros and cons of water fluoridation. They reviewed most current peer-reviewed articles/publication about the effects of fluoridating water, and they found that there are no link connecting fluoridation and any of the following illness “risk for cancer, down syndrome, heart disease, osteoporosis, bone fractures, immune disorders, low intelligence, renal disorders, Alzheimer disease, or allergic reactions” (Weno, 2015). This finding disproves many objections to why Portland should not have water fluoridation, but also gives that many reasons why Portland should implement is effective
intervention.
Support to provide fluorides to children and adults in Portland is needed to improve oral health and decrease the prevalence of teeth decay in all individuals.