Phoenix, the nation's 12th largest metropolitan area, decided to continue fluoridating its community water on Sept. 11, despite a heated debate before the city council.
The city, which adopted fluoridation in 1989, reconsidered its policy after several city council members requested an investigation due to changing scientific philosophies. But the subcommittee meeting listened to opponents of fluoridation and voted to continued the city's policy without bringing the issue before the entire city council.
Sharon Zastrow, RDH, the American Dental Hygienists' Association's trustee for District XI, which includes Arizona, said, "I am pleased that the Phoenix City Council will continue to fund the inclusion of fluoride in the city water system. There are always factions that sound the alarm without considering the scientific, evidence based facts regarding fluoridation.
"Phoenix is a city with a large, socio-economic challenged population that has limited or no access to dental care. Fluoridated water offers some protection in early childhood tooth development to strengthen tooth enamel and studies show that fluoridated water does prevent caries. With high sugar food and drink choices being the most economical choice for those living below the poverty level, any protection city government can provide its citizens in the prevention of tooth decay, is a win-win."
In related news, the city council in Portland, Ore., approved a plan on Sept. 12 to add fluoride to the drinking water in one of the nation's largest cities without fluoridation. The plan calls for Portland water to be fluoridated by March 2014.
One Phoenix councilwoman, Thelda Williams, told the Arizona Repubic, "I just feel very strongly that I think what we're doing is the right thing to do. I think public health is the responsibility of government."
Maria Perno Goldie, RDH, president of the International Federation of Dental Hygienists, told DentistryIQ.com, "I am very pleased for the citizens of Phoenix that fluoride will not be removed from their drinking water, affecting about 1.4 million residents. Many systematic reviews have been done around the world, including our own Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Health Service of Great Britain. Community water fluoridation is beneficial for reducing tooth decay, and does not affect the risk of bone fractures at optimal levels, which is 0.7 ppm. There is no clear association between water fluoridation and overall cancer incidence or mortality. The studies do not suggest an increased risk of adverse health effects at optimal fluoridation levels."
Christine Nathe, RDH, a public health expert with the University of New Mexico, also noted, "What great news that Phoenix has not become of the localities to stop a public health initiative for their citizens. Community water fluoridation has been shown to reduce dental decay in children and has been included as on the 20 century's 10 great public health achievements in the United States."
One factor considered was the cost of fluoride. The city spends approximately $582,000 a year on fluoridation.
But many residents petitioned city hall for an evaluation on fluoridation based on information presented by, for example, a local osteopathic physician who said 23 human studies and 100 animal studies link fluoride to brain damage. Public health proponents, though, persistently pointed to oral health benefits and that the fluoride merely supplements naturally occuring fluoridation in the city's water supply.
