Community water fluoridation has been a cornerstone of public health because it protects people across their lifespan, especially children who don’t have regular dental visits or access to toothpaste and toothbrushes.

The health consequences are real: untreated cavities can impair nutrition, delay speech, and cause infections that can lead to death. We can diminish the physical and emotional pain that dental decay causes with the most cost-effective method — water fluoridation.

Fluoridation also reduces the financial burden on Medicaid, federal programs, and taxpayers. Without it, cavities and treatment costs climb. Nationally, eliminating fluoridation would add $45 billion in new dental treatment costs over five years — costs borne by the American taxpayer.

I practice in rural Missouri

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