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Iowa Communities Honored for Fluoridation

News

June 26th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced today that 12 Iowa water systems have been awarded fluoride certificates by the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors on behalf of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and American Dental Association (ADA). In our listening area, DeSoto, Treynor and Stanton each received a 2011 Community Fluoridation Reaffirmation Award.

Fluoridation is the adjustment of fluoride in the water to an optimal level for preventing tooth decay. The award recognizes communities that maintained a consistent level of optimally fluoridated water throughout 2011. The CDC has recognized community water fluoridation as one of the ten great public health achievements of the 20th Century and recommends water fluoridation as a safe, effective, and inexpensive method of preventing tooth decay. The IDPH says it is a strong supporter of fluoridation programs.

Fluoride’s benefits for teeth were discovered in the 1930s. Dental scientists found low tooth decay rates among people whose water supplies contained natural fluoride. In communities of 20,000 people, every $1 invested in water fluoridation results in $38 of savings in dental treatment costs.

To see the fluoridation status of Iowa counties and towns, visit www.idph.state.ia.us/hpcdp/fluoride_search.asp. For more information on fluoride, visit www.idph.state.ia.us/hpcdp/common/pdf/oral_health/benefits_fluoride.pdf.