835 West Queen Street Southington, CT 06489 860.378.1800 / phone 860.378.

1807 / fax

June 25, 2013

CSDA.com

Senator Joe Markley Legislative Office Building Room 3400 Hartford, CT 06106
Dear Senator Markley: As members of the Connecticut Coalition for Oral Health and other health care advocates in Connecticut, we strongly support the fluoridation of Connecticuts community water supplies. As a whole, we believe that all Connecticut residents should have access to fluoridated community water, as it will only benefit their oral health. Below we have compiled a list of the reasons we support the fluoridation of the water supply in Connecticut. Fluoridation is the single most effective public health measure to prevent tooth decay. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), community water fluoridation is one of the 10 greatest public health achievements of the 20th century. 1 Fluoride is natures cavity fighter, occurring naturally in the earths crust. Small amounts of fluoride occur naturally in all water sources, and varying amounts of the mineral are found in all foods and beverages. Water fluoridation helps prevent dental disease. It is the most efficient way to prevent one of the most common childhood diseases dental decay. An estimated 51 million school hours are lost each year due to dental-related illness.2 Studies show that community water fluoridation prevents at least 25% of tooth decay in children and adults, even in an era with widespread availability of fluoride from other sources, such as fluoride toothpaste. 3 4 Fluoridation of community water is safe and effective. For more than 65 years, the best available scientific evidence consistently indicates that community water fluoridation is safe and effective. The average lifetime cost per person to fluoridate a water supply is less than the cost of one dental filling. For most cities, every $1 invested in water fluoridation saves $38 in dental treatment costs. 5 The benefits of community water fluoridation is recognized by more than 100 organizations including, the American Dental Association, U.S. Public Health Services, the American Medical

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Ten Great Public Health Achievements United States, 1990-1999. MMWR 1999; 48 (12):241-3. Gift, H.C. Oral Health Outcomes Research: Challenges and Opportunities. In Slade, G.D., ed., Measuring Oral Health and Qual ity of Life. Chapel Hill, NC: Department of Dental Ecology, University of North Carolina 1997; 25-46. 3 Griffin S.O., et al. Effectiveness of Fluoride in Preventing Caries in Adults. J Dent Res 2007; 86 (5): 410 -415. 4 Task Force of Community Preventive Services. Promoting Oral health: Interventions for Preventing Dental Caries, Oral and Pharyngeal Cancers, and Sports-related Craniofacial Injuries: A Report on Recommendations of the Task Force of Community Prevention Services, MMWR 001;50 (RR21): 1-13. View information at thecommunityguide.org/oral/fluoridation.html and cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr502a1.htm. 5 Griffin S.O., Jones, K., Tomar, S.L. An Economic Evaluation of Community Water Fluoridation, J Public Health Dent 2001; 61(2); 78 -86.
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Association, the World Health Organization, as well as more than 125 national and international organizations. 6 Sincerely,

Mark Desrosiers, DMD President Connecticut State Dental Association

Sharon D. Langer Interim Executive Director Connecticut Voices for Children

Mary Moran Boudreau Executive Director Connecticut Oral Health Initiative

Howard I. Mark, DMD Founding President Connecticut Oral Health Initiative

Evelyn A. Barnum, J.D. Chief Executive Officer Community Health Center Association of Connecticut

Mary Bencivengo R.D.H.,M.S.

Division Director Allied Health Tunxis Community College

Raven Roberts Henderson, DDS President of the Connecticut Society of Pediatric Dentistry

Sandra Carbonari, MD President of CT Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics Along with members of the Connecticut Coalition on Oral Health, and other health care advocates in Connecticut: Community Health Center Association of Connecticut Connecticut Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics Connecticut Dental Health Partnership Connecticut Department of Developmental Services Connecticut Department of Public Health Connecticut Health Foundation Connecticut Dental Hygienists' Association Connecticut Oral Health Initiative Connecticut Society of Pediatric Dentistry Connecticut Voices for Children ORBIT Collaborative (Oral Health Bridgeport Initiative) Southwestern AHEC Tunxis Community College, Dental Hygiene Program University of New Haven Dental Hygiene Program
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American Dental Association Fluoridation Facts Compendium. Available at ADA.org/4378.aspx