Nov 5, 2014 - Community Water Fluoridation is Big Win for Michigan's Health. LANSING â Voters in Boyne City (Charlevoi
Contact: Karlene Ketola Tel: (517) 230-4381 E-mail:
[email protected] Website: www.mohc.org
November 5, 2014 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Community Water Fluoridation is Big Win for Michigan’s Health LANSING — Voters in Boyne City (Charlevoix County) and Bronson (Branch County) have delivered big wins for their local residents’ health by passing local ballot issues to continue community water fluoridation. Nearly 70 years of experience and scientific evidence demonstrates that adjusting the naturally occurring fluoride levels in water to the optimal level is one of the most effective ways to reduce cavities in teeth, especially among kids. Fluoride is a mineral that is found in virtually all water supplies but typically at a concentration that is too low to help prevent cavities. Community water fluoridation is the process of adjusting the concentration, usually by fortifying water with additional fluoride. In the United States, fluoridation has been used widely as a primary strategy to prevent dental cavities, and its success led the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to name fluoridation as one of the ten “great public health achievements of the 20th century.” “Water fluoridation benefits all residents of a community and it has demonstrated its effectiveness in preventing tooth decay throughout one’s lifetime,” said Karlene Ketola, Executive Director with the Michigan Oral Health Coalition. “We applaud the parents, educators, civic leaders and others for taking a stand in these communities. And we thank the medical and dental professionals for leading the charge and getting local Boyne City and Bronson residents out to vote.” Fluoridation is both a health and financial win for Michigan. According to the American Dental Association, community water fluoridation reduces cavities by 25 percent. Studies estimate that every dollar invested in fluoridation saves $38 in future dental bills. Tooth decay — a preventable infectious disease — is the single most common chronic childhood disease. Ending water fluoridation without imposing more tooth decay and costs on the children and adults in Michigan communities. As a non-profit advocacy organization with the mission of improving oral health for all Michiganders, the Michigan Oral Health Coalition supports the expansion of public water fluoridation. And we take pride in knowing that Michigan was where fluoridation began nearly 70 years ago. While fluoride’s effectiveness in reducing tooth decay has prompted many manufacturers to add fluoride to products such as toothpaste, mouth rinse, and some bottled waters, its preventative benefits are most costeffective when delivered to all residents of a community through water fluoridation. Fluoridation does not discriminate. It helps all members of the community reduce their risk of dental disease. For more information on the effectiveness and safety of water fluoridation, visit http://www.ilikemyteeth.org/%20fluoridation/effects-of-fluoride. Delta Dental of Michigan has produced a brief video about fluoridation and how it benefits teeth: http://www.deltadentalmi.com/Wellness/Oral-Health-Resources/Oral-Health-Videos.aspx.
Michigan Oral Health Coalition Michigan Oral Health Coalition is a non-profit organization whose mission is to improve oral health in Michigan by focusing on prevention, health promotion, oral health data, access, and the link between oral health and overall health. With more than 125 members, the Coalition is comprised of primary care clinicians, oral health clinicians, dental benefit providers, advocacy and provider organizations, state and local government officials, and consumers working together to improve oral health in Michigan. For more information, visit www.mohc.org. # # #
