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
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