About three-fourths of the water that comes from community water supplies in the US is fluoridated, meaning that it has the mineral fluoride added to it. This mineral has been found to prevent and reduce the decay of tooth enamel, which leads to cavities. Although water naturally contains fluoride, it is at lower levels than is believed to be optimal for dental health. Fluoridation of water in the US was introduced in 1945, and health experts have ranked the practice as one of the 10 greatest public health works of the 20th century.
More about water fluoridation :
- More than 200 million Americans live communities where the water supply contains fluoride.
- In 1945, Grand Rapids, Michigan, became the first city to add fluoride to its municipal water supply.
- It is estimated that every $1 US Dollar (USD) invested in water fluoridation will result in about $38 USD in dental savings. For communities with populations of more than 20,000, the estimated cost for water fluoridation is $0.50 USD per person.