Dentists favor water fluoridation

To the editor:

It is with regret that the Alaska Dental Society learned of the decision of the city of Palmer to abandon its longstanding commitment to promoting good oral health for the residents of the community.

More than six decades of research and 66 years of practical experience have proven that community water fluoridation is an effective method of helping communities prevent tooth decay. Fluoridation has been recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as one of 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century. It is the most cost-effective method to ensure that residents of all ages, from children to seniors, have a safe way of receiving the benefits of fluoride.

Research has clearly demonstrated that the maximum reduction in tooth decay occurs when fluoride is available. While some may view professional fluoride treatments as an alternative, the fact is that this type of delivery system is more costly and reaches far fewer people. Simply by drinking water, everyone can benefit from fluoridation’s decay prevention.

In a story published in your paper, Mayor DeLena Johnson was quoted as saying that the dental community was evenly divided on this issue. That is simply not the case. The majority of dentists support community water fluoridation. The majority of dentists will tell you that there is a clear and substantial benefit from drinking fluoridated water. The vast majority of dentists who specialize in treating children will affirm that the most effective benefits from fluoridation are not from topical applications, but from drinking water and ingesting fluoride internally.

Regrettably, Palmer City Council chose not to seek input from the Centers for Disease Control, the Alaska Department of Health’s State Dental Officer or the Alaska Dental Society and its Mat-Su Dental Society. Had the mayor and the city council reached out to any of these sources, all would have made it clear that community water fluoridation is safe and the most effective way for the residents of Palmer to benefit from a cost-effective public health program that saves the taxpayers of Alaska a lot of money.

Recent surveys across rural Alaska clearly demonstrate that communities with fluoridated water systems have a much lower rate of dental caries than non-fluoridated communities. These non-fluoridated communities drive up Medicaid expenses because it costs more to treat a cavity than to prevent it with fluoridated water.

Hopefully, the residents of Palmer will eventually recognize that they have made an unhealthy choice and will restore the longstanding practice and cost-effective health benefit.

James R. Towle,

Executive Director Alaska Dental Society

and

Dr. Tom Bird Dr. Bob Cassell,

Dr. Mary Coyne,

Dr. Del Jean Dedeker ,

Dr. Thane Hisaw,

Dr. Kelly Lucas,

Dr. Doug Luiten,

Dr. Hans Nordstrom,

Dr. Tony Paden,

Dr. Mark Prator,

Dr. Newell Walther,

and Dr. Thane Hisaw