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Decision in EPA Case: As Flawed As the Analysis It’s Based On

On Tuesday, September 23, 2024, Judge Edward M. Chen of the US District Court for the Northern District of California ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must issue new rules related to fluoride levels in tap water. The court wrote that “this finding does not conclude with certainty that fluoridated water is injurious to […]

More Australians Benefiting from Fluoridation

Water fluoridation is even more common in Australia than it is in the United States. A 2023 research review reported that 89% of Australians with access to public water systems receive water that is fluoridated to help prevent tooth decay. And that percentage has recently risen. This summer, the community water system in Bunbury — […]

Troubled Government Report Finally Sees the Light of Day

On August 21, 2024, the National Toxicology Program (NTP) posted the NTP Monograph on the State of the Science Concerning Fluoride Exposure and Neurodevelopment and Cognition: A Systematic Review on its website and concluded “with a moderate degree of confidence” that higher estimated exposure to fluoride is associated with lower IQ in children. The NTP […]

Maternal Urinary Fluoride: Not a Valid Measure for Study’s Conclusion

A new study in JAMA Network Open (Malin, et al.) claims to have found an association between maternal urinary fluoride (MUF) levels and later deficiencies in children’s executive function. This study used urine “spot samples” to measure a pregnant woman’s overall exposure to fluoride. Why Spot Samples Are Not Valid for this Study Experts in […]
IQ Scores; fluoride

Fluoride & IQ: Until recently, concerns were rarely raised

Thanks to fluoride in water, America has been preventing tooth decay for over 75 years. Fluoridation is effective, safe and benefits everyone regardless of age or income. About 3 out of 4 people in U.S. communities enjoy fluoridated water. Until recently, concerns about fluoride and IQ were rare. Opponents of fluoridation began focusing on IQ […]
Fluoride Keeps Teeth Strong

Kids know what makes teeth strong – fluoride!

What did you think about oral health when you were five years old? Chances are you didn’t think about it at all, unless you had a painful cavity. We asked preschoolers to talk about how brushing their teeth keeps them healthy and strong. See what these four, five and six year olds have to say […]

Albany Residents Will Benefit from Fluoride in Water

Residents of Albany, the capital city of New York State, will benefit from fluoride in water. The municipality begins to fluoridate its tap water next year. The Common Council in Albany voted 12-0 last month in favor of the proposal, and the mayor has signed the measure. This victory for public health is a long […]

Exposure to Fluoride in Water: How it’s Measured Really Matters

Opponents of fluoride in water are quick to cite a 2019 Canadian study (Green et al.) to claim that fluoride affects the IQ of 3 and 4 year old children. A new peer-reviewed analysis refutes the validity of this study, showing that the Canadian researchers relied on invalid measures of both fluoride exposure and IQ. […]
tooth decay children attend school

School Nurses Voice Concern After County Ends Fluoridation

When officials in Collier County, Florida, recently voted to end fluoridation, dental professionals and pediatricians were disheartened. School nurses were concerned too. Why? They see firsthand the negative impact of tooth decay on children’s ability to attend school, learn and thrive. After the county’s board of commissioners made its decision, leading voices from the school […]

War Moved Kids to a Fluoridated Community

Amid the fighting of World War II, an urgent need to relocate children in Great Britain led to a powerful discovery — one that helped to revolutionize public health and children’s oral health. In a recent newspaper article, British dentist Ray Lowry told this fascinating story. War moved kids to a fluoridated community. Early in […]

Taking a Fresh Look at British Study on Fluoride in Water

In recent years, multiple studies have compared communities with and without the preventive health benefits of fluoride in water. Each one of these studies has revealed fluoridation’s benefits, but let’s take a closer look at the most recent study, which was conducted in England. The purpose of CATFISH (Cumbrian Assessment of Teeth a Fluoride Intervention […]

Study: Fluoride in Water Has More Benefits than Free Dental Care

A new study has linked community water fluoridation (CWF) in Israel with lower rates of tooth decay. The authors found no link between decay and the effects of free dental services which were mandated in 2014. When Israel adopted nationwide water fluoridation in 2002, tooth decay among children fell significantly. The practice was discontinued in […]

What Does the EPA Say About Fluoride?

Like any vitamin or trace element, fluoride in water must be properly balanced for maximum benefit to prevent tooth decay. The recommend amount of fluoride in water is currently 0.7 parts per million, a level that prevents both cavities and fluorosis. Although fluoride occurs naturally in all water, in the U.S. it rarely exceeds the […]

Fluoride in the Emerald City – History of Fluoridation in Seattle, Washington

In the early 1950s, health officials in cities across the United States, including those in Seattle, Washington, were eager to replicate the massive success of the first longitudinal fluoridation study in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The Seattle-King County Department of Public Health first proposed fluoridating Seattle’s water in 1951. The city council put the proposal to […]

New Tools for Oral Health Risk Assessment

The AAP Oral Health Risk Assessment tool has been updated to streamline and support this essential component of the well-child visit. The tool is now accompanied by an intake form to collect pertinent patient information from parents/caregivers. An updated self-management goal sheet supports shared decision-making on preventing cavities and maintaining healthy teeth at home. The […]

New Tools for Oral Health Risk Assessment

The AAP Oral Health Risk Assessment tool has been updated to streamline and support this essential component of the well-child visit. The tool is now accompanied by an intake form to collect pertinent patient information from parents/caregivers. An updated self-management goal sheet supports shared decision-making on preventing cavities and maintaining healthy teeth at home. The […]

How Fluoridation Works Graphics Updated!

The Campaign for Dental Health (CDH) is happy to announce that the How Fluoridation Works poster and graphic have been updated with new images and are available in both Spanish and English!  And now a new format is available that allows for printing of full-size, 18×24 posters! These resources compliment the How Fluoride Works video that is also […]

Why should dental professionals talk about tobacco?

Tobacco is the leading cause of death in the United States, killing 480,000 users each year. Over 15% of adults and nearly 20% of youth in the US are current tobacco users, and 2 in 5 children are regularly exposed to tobacco smoke. Smoking, use of smokeless tobacco products, and exposure to secondhand smoke all […]

New Resources: Common Questions About Fluorosis and Fluoride

Parents have questions, and we have answers. The Campaign for Dental Health has just released new, simpler versions of two of our handouts for parents and caregivers, in both Spanish and English. Enhanced graphics, bold formatting, and a reduction in the amount of text makes these quicker and easier to read. Fluorosis Facts (Spanish) – […]
Fluoride Keeps Teeth Strong

Kids know what makes teeth strong – fluoride!

What did you think about oral health when you were five years old? Chances are you didn’t think about it at all, unless you had a painful cavity. We asked preschoolers to talk about how brushing their teeth keeps them healthy and strong. See what these four, five and six year olds have to say […]