FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Summer Gagnon
(334) 206-2978
[email protected]
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention commended 95 Alabama public water systems for their consistent and professional adjustment of fluoride content to the recommended level for oral health in 2017, the Alabama Department of Public Health announces.
Certificates of appreciation also were presented to the Cullman Utilities Board, Tallassee Water Works and Tuskegee Utilities Board for fluoridating for 50 years or more.
Fluoridation is the adjustment of fluoride in the water to a level that is optimal for preventing tooth decay. The award recognizes those communities that maintained a consistent level of optimally fluoridated water for 12 consecutive months throughout 2017.
“Water fluoridation is one of the best investments that a community can make in maintaining the oral health of its citizens,” Dr. Tommy Johnson, state dental director, said. “It is equally as effective in preventing cavities in children and adults.”
Studies have shown that for every $1 invested in fluoridation, approximately $38 are saved in costs for dental treatment. Research also shows that fluoridation prevents tooth decay among all age groups, not just children, regardless of age, race, education or income levels. More than 210 million people, or 75 percent of the United States population served by public water supplies, currently drink water with optimal fluoride levels for preventing decay.
The ADPH’s county environmental and oral health staff, Alabama Department of Environmental Management staff, local water plant staffs and CDC made this achievement possible by submitting or collecting data to report in the Water Fluoridation Reporting System.
For more information contact Summer Gagnon, state fluoridation program coordinator, at (334) 206-2978 or visit alabamapublichealth.gov/oralhealth/assets/2017QualityAwardWinners.pdf for a list of the systems which received water fluoridation quality awards for 2017.