Fluoride
ADA Statement
Since 1950, the ADA has unreservedly endorsed the fluoridation of community water supplies as safe, effective, and necessary
in preventing tooth decay.
CDC Statement
CDC has recognized the fluoridation of drinking water to prevent dental decay as one of 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century. Over the past 60 years, optimal fluoridation of community drinking water has been a major factor for the decline in rates of tooth decay.
U.S. Surgeon General Statement
“Community water fluoridation continues to be the most cost-effective, equitable and safe means to provide protection from tooth decay in a community. A person’s income level or ability to receive routine dental care is not a barrier to receiving fluoridation’s health benefits. Water fluoridation is a powerful strategy in our efforts to eliminate differences in health among people and is consistent with my emphasis on the importance of prevention.” Vice Admiral Richard Carmona, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.S., 2002-2006
American Dental Association Council on Access, Prevention and Interprofessional Relations 211 East Chicago Avenue Chicago, Illinois 60611-2678
http://www.ada.org/goto/fluoride
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Division of Oral Health 4770 Buford Hwy, NE Mail Stop F-10 Atlanta, Georgia 30341-3724
www.cdc.gov/fluoridation/index.htm
Fluoridation:
nature’s way to prevent tooth decay
Here’s Why:
Fluoride is a natural element found in rocks and soil everywhere, in fresh water, and in ocean water. In fact, waters in and around the United States have natural fluoride levels that range from 0.1 to more than 12 parts per million. The optimal level for preventing tooth decay is a range from .0.7 to 1.2 parts per million.
Some communities are lucky enough to have naturally occurring optimal levels of fluoride in their water supplies. However, most are not. Adjusting the fluoride to an optimal level in the water supplies of these communities can help prevent tooth decay. Thousands of communities worldwide have reduced rates of tooth decay and improved oral health among their residents through water fluoridation.
Studies have shown that water fluoridation can reduce the amount of decay in children’s teeth by as much as 60%. Today, even with the widespread use of fluoride toothpaste, mouth rinse, and professional fluoride treatments, fluoridation has been shown to reduce tooth decay by 18-40% among children and by nearly 35% among adults.
Over 405 million people in approximately 60 countries enjoy the benefits of optimally fluoridated water. In the United States, approximately 170 million people (about two-thirds of the population on public water systems) benefit from fluoridation.
Fluoridation is safe. More than 60 years of research and experience have shown that fluoridation at optimal levels does not harm people or the environment. Leading scientists and health professionals, numerous professional organizations, and governments around the world support community water fluoridation.
The ADA works with state and local dental societies and community coalitions to increase the number of communities that benefit from community water fluoridation.
The United States Public Health Service (PHS) also recommends community water fluoridation as a means of preventing dental decay. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) works with state and local health departments and water districts to help ensure that this health benefit is delivered safely and effectively to the American public.
Fluoridation benefits everyone. Every year, many city councils, health boards, water boards and voters take action to fluoridate their water supply. You can too. Community leaders have come to realize that fluoridation benefits their entire community—children, adults, and senior citizens. Community water fluoridation does not discriminate against anyone on the basis of income, education, or race. Simply by drinking fluoridated water, everyone in a community benefits, especially those who don’t receive regular dental care.
Fluoridation is cost-effective. The average cost for a community to fluoridate its water is estimated to range from approximately $0.62 a year per person in large communities to approximately $3.90 a year per person in small communities (2004 dollars). Over a lifetime this is typically less than the cost of one dental filling to repair one decayed tooth. Remember, when it comes to the costs of treating dental disease, everyone pays. Not just those who need treatment, but all of us—through higher health insurance premiums and higher taxes. For most cities, every $1 invested in community water fluoridation saves $38 in dental treatment costs. Through fluoridation, communities can improve the oral health of their residents and save money for all of us.
The key points to remember about water fluoridation are these:
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Fluoridation is safe.
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Fluoridation of community water supplies benefits everyone.
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Fluoridation is cost-effective because it saves money on dental treatment needs.
You can obtain further information about community water fluoridation by calling your dentist or local or state health department.
CDC WEBSITE ON FLUORIDE http://www.cdc.gov/fluoridation/
First off let me say that you only need to take fluoride if your town doesn't fluoridate their water.
Minturn doesn't fluoridate their water.
So if you need a fluoride prescription then you can go to your current doctor if your child doesn't have a pediatric dentist.
This would be the case if your child doesn't have any teeth yet.
Now on to the differences between a Pediatric Dentist and a Dentist (general dentistry).
After attaining their dental degree, a Pediatric Dentist has two to three years of additional schooling geared towards children. They specialize in children and 99.9% of them do not treat adults, they only treat children.
WE HAVE NO PEDIATRIC DENTIST IN THE VALLEY.
LET ME SAY THAT AGAIN.
WE HAVE NO PEDIATRIC DENTIST IN THE VALLEY, between Frisco and Glenwood Springs to be more precise.
This is according to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, here is their website
http://www.aapd.org/
Here is one more Pediatric Dentistry Board website to check to see if your Pediatric Dentist is Board certified
http://www.abpd.org
If you have any doubt please contact me and I can check for you or refer you to a pediatric dentist.
frank@minturntimes.com
Why should a parent choose a Pediatric Dentist?
Pediatric dentists are dedicated to the oral health of children from infancy through the teen years. They have the experience and qualifications to care for a child’s teeth, gums, and mouth throughout the various stages of childhood.
"Pediatric dentists study developmental psychology in order to understand how children think, and to make the dental experience as positive and rewarding as possible. From the setting of their offices to the tones of their voice, pediatric dentists fine-tune everything in their practice to be specifically geared toward children, and to make them feel comfortable and relaxed during their dental visits. Pediatric dentists also receive special training in dealing with dental patients with special needs."
