Why is most of the water we drink fluoridated?
As of March 2012, artificially fluoridated drinking water is provided for 70% or more of the population in all Australian States and Territories. The acceptance of the benefits of water fluoridation occurred in Australia in December 1953, roughly two years after acceptance in the United States. Many of Australia’s drinking water supplies subsequently began fluoridation in the 1960s and 1970s. By 1984 almost 66% of the Australian population had access to fluoridated drinking water, represented by 850 towns and cities.
Some areas within Australia have natural fluoride levels in the groundwater, which was estimated in 1991 to provide drinking water to approximately 0.9% of the population. Fluoridated water protects against cavities and root caries and helps remineralise early carious lesions/decay. Public water fluoridation is considered the most efficient and cost-effective cavity prevention measure available. In Australia, dental disease rates vary markedly between fluoridated and non fluoridated communities creating a burden on public dental services. Flouride is commonly found in water, food and soils. The fluoride levels in most public water supplies are modified by artificially adding fluoride to a level that produce the reported dental benefits. A small percentage of the population get water from private wells with naturally fluoridated water.
It has been determined that the accepted “optimal” range of fluoride in water lies between 0.7 and 1.2 parts per million (ppm) or milligram per litre. Fluoridation of community water supplies is the single most effective public-health measure to prevent tooth decay and to improve oral health for a lifetime.
