Water fluoridation is included as one of ten great public health achievements, due to its important contribution to the improvement of dental health, general well being, and quality of life for Americans in the second half of the 20^th century.  

At the beginning of the 20^th century, dental decay was rampant in the United States, and the most common treatment for decay at that time was extraction of the tooth involved.  

Fluoride is one of many naturally occurring elements found in the earth. It is found in varying amounts in almost all waters and soils.  

Through a series of community observations by dental health pioneers and scientists at the National Institutes of Health of people who benefited from drinking naturally fluoridated water, a positive relationship between drinking fluoridated water and fewer cavities was established.  

This prompted rapid adoption of water fluoridation as a public health measure in cities throughout the United States, and in fact, led to the development of other products containing fluoride, such as toothpaste and mouthrinses.  

Water fluoridation is safe, effective, and an inexpensive way to prevent cavities. This preventive measure benefits children as well as adults and seniors, regardless of education or income level. Fluoridated water benefits over 144 million people in the United States (62%) of those on public water systems).  

Water fluoridation resulted in a 40-70% reduction of cavities over the second half of the 20^th century. During the last 40 years, the number of people aged 45-54 who have lost all of their natural teeth decreased from 20 to 9 percent.  

The effectiveness of fluoride in preventing dental cavities depends on its frequent use at low concentrations and is best provided by drinking fluoridated water.  

Additional sources of fluoride include: Fluoride toothpastes and mouthrinses, school fluoridation programs, fluoride tablets and drops, and professional applications of fluoride in dental offices.

Many frequently asked questions about the benefits and safety of fluoride are answered on the American Dental Association's web pages. You can link to other sites that provide information on fluoride and fluoridation issues through this page. For additional information on fluoride, contact your dentist or visit the ADA's web site.