|
Water Fluoridation Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
California 's fluoridated drinking water act, Assembly Bill 733, became law
in 1995, requiring water systems with 10,000 or more service connections to
fluoridate once funding is available. As a result, the City of Redwood City
will begin supplying fluoridated drinking water on November 1, 2005, when the
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC – the source of Redwood
City’s drinking water) implements system-wide fluoridation.
The majority of communities served by SFPUC already receive optimally fluoridated
water. San Francisco and northern Peninsula communities have received fluoridated
water for about 50 years.
Q: What is fluoride?
Fluoride is an abundant naturally occurring element found in rocks, soil
and fresh and ocean water. Fluoride protects people of all ages against tooth
decay. It makes teeth stronger and harder, so they last longer.
Q: Why fluoridate drinking water?
- When fluoride is present in drinking water at optimal levels, it has been
shown to dramatically improve oral health by preventing tooth decay.
- The amount of natural fluoride in the SFPUC water sources is not enough
to provide oral health benefits. Water fluoridation is the addition of small
amounts of fluoride to a water supply to achieve the optimal fluoride level
that helps prevent tooth decay.
- Fluoridated water benefits the entire community, children and adults of
all ages, especially low-income and underserved populations.
- California law requires larger water distributors to fluoridate the water
supply, as funding becomes available.
Q: What should I do when the fluoridation program starts?
You do not need to make any changes to your drinking water habits. Fluoride
will not change the taste, smell, or appearance of your drinking water.
Health experts advise that if you are taking prescription fluoride supplements,
either tablets or drops, you MUST stop once you begin
receiving fluoridated water.
Q: How much fluoride will be added to my water?
The SFPUC will supplement naturally occurring fluoride in your drinking water
to meet the levels recommended by the California Department of Health Services
(1 part per million, or 1.0 milligram of fluoride per liter of water). This
level of concentration is recommended by the United States Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC).
The chemical used by the SFPUC for water fluoridation is suitable for drinking
water use. (It complies with the drinking water additives requirements Section
64700, Title 22 of California Code of Regulations and has been tested
and certified as meeting the specifications of American National Standards
Institute/National Sanitation Foundation Standard 60.)
Q: Can you
give an example of "parts per million" (ppm)?
One drop of fluoride in one million drops, or 50 liters of water. Because
there are 3.78 liters in a gallon, one part per million is also the same as
one drop of a substance in about 13.2 gallons of water. It is also the same
as one inch in 16 miles; one cent in $10,000; one ounce of salt out of 62,500
pounds; one ounce of oil out of 7,812.5 gallons.
Q: Is fluoride safe?
Fluoride in levels administered for drinking water is safe for
humans and all animals.
Over 50 years of research and experience have shown that fluoridation at optimal
levels is safe for people and the environment. Leading scientists and health
professionals, numerous professional organizations and governments around the
world support community water fluoridation.
Q: If I have a water filter, is it removing the fluoride?
To find out if fluoride is removed, check with the filter manufacturer. However,
most water filters do not remove fluoride. The most effective way to remove
fluoride from a household supply is by reverse osmosis filtering with up to
80 to 90 percent efficiency. Water distillation systems remove up to 100 percent
of fluoride, and bottled water does not generally contain fluoride.
Q: What if my child has been receiving fluoride
drops or tablets?
The California Department of Health Services and health professionals recommend
that prescription fluoride supplements be stopped if your child lives or goes
to school in a community that receives fluoridated water. Please check with
the pediatrician or dentist who prescribed the supplements.
Q: What do health
professionals say about fluoride?
Health experts endorse water fluoridation as the single, most effective public
health measure to improve oral health. Through more than 50 years of extensive
research, drinking fluoridated water has been scientifically proven to be safe
and effective. The following organizations endorse water fluoridation as an
important public health measure for reducing tooth decay.
- The American Dental Association (ADA) endorsed fluoridation in 1950, and
reaffirmed its endorsement in 1997.
- The American Medical Association (AMA) endorsed fluoridation in 1950,
and reaffirmed its endorsement in 1996.
- The American Water Works Association (AWWA) endorsed fluoridation in 1976,
and reaffirmed its endorsement in 1982.
- The San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Alameda county public health
departments have all endorsed the SFPUC water fluoridation program.
- The California Department of Health Services has approved the SFPUC fluoridation
program.
Q. How can I learn more about water fluoridation?
For general information on water fluoridation visit the SFPUC online or
call 866-668-6008. For fluoride health-related information, contact the San
Mateo County Health Department at 650-372-8572.
For information on fluoride in Redwood City's drinking water, call Redwood
City Public Works Services Department at 650-780-7464 or visit us online.
More information is also available on the following web sites:
All information on this page adapted from materials provided by the San
Francisco Public Utilities Commission, the provider of all of Redwood City's
water.
|
