Water authority made the right move

AT A recent Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority Board meeting, the board voted to reinstitute water fluoridation. I am writing on behalf of the Albuquerque District Dental Society, applauding the water authority for voting to reinstitute supplemental fluoridation. The residents of Bernalillo County may now join the seven out of 10 Americans who receive the benefits of fluoride through their public water system after several years of non-optimal fluoridation. The U.S. Health and Human Services and the American Dental Association both recommend 0.7 milligrams of fluoride per liter of water as the optimal level for care. Implementing this level of protection should be neither a political nor subjective measure. A significant number of health care professionals have researched, consulted and agreed on this level of fluoridation, and it is easily implemented and monitored.

Though other fluoride-containing products, such as toothpaste, mouth rinses and dietary supplements, are available and contribute to the prevention and control of tooth decay, community water fluoridation has been identified as the most cost-effective method of delivering fluoride to all, reducing tooth decay by 25 percent in children and adults.

In a state where public health dollars are limited, the cost savings of water fluoridation is extremely valuable. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is estimated that for every $1 invested in community water fluoridation, there is a $38 savings in dental treatment costs.

Thank you to the water authority for recognizing the importance of water fluoridation and its contribution to the health of our community.

MARY ROSE TWOHIG, DDS

President, Albuquerque District Dental Society Albuquerque