GORDON EMPEY
Despite the proven benefits of the addition of a chemical to increase the concentration of fluoride ions in drinking water to reduce the incidence of tooth decay, Oregon continues to lag behind the rest of the nation and the world in giving residents a safe, effective and inexpensive way to prevent tooth decay and the health problems associated with it.
It's time to put a stop to this. That's the purpose of legislation (House Bill 3099) being debated this month in Salem.
Consider these facts:
# Currently 66 percent of United States residents, more than 170 million people, receive their water from public water supplies that have fluoridated water.
# Communities with fluoridated drinking water in the United States, Australia, Britain, Canada, Ireland and New Zealand have 15 percent to 40 percent less tooth decay than communities without fluoridated water.
# The annual cost of fluoridation is approximately 50 cents per person per year in larger communities and $3 per person annually in smaller communities.
# In most cities, every dollar invested in water fluoridation saves $38 in dental-treatment costs.
The problems created by lack of fluoridation are particularly acute in children between ages 5 and 17 where tooth decay is five times more common than asthma and seven times more common than hay fever. Failing to protect our children can result in more than just rotten teeth. It also can mean untreated mouth infections that imperil a youngster's overall health and add to the estimated 51 million school hours lost each year because of dental-related illnesses.
Fluoride benefits adults as well. Oral disease can put pregnant women at risk for premature delivery and their infants at risk for low birth weight. Oral disease also can worsen problems for individuals with heart conditions or diabetes. For seniors, oral disease reduces the ability to get adequate nutrition and creates other problems that endanger people's ability to lead independent, healthy and safe lives.
Sadly, only about 20 percent of Oregonians are served by fluoridated public water systems. Recent statistics show that 56 percent of Oregon children 6 to 8 years old have some level of tooth decay. By age 15, it's 69 percent. Among Oregonians older than 60, 18 percent have lost all of their teeth because of preventable dental disease.
It's hard to believe that a state with as progressive a record and reputation as Oregon could be so far behind the curve when it comes to protecting the health of its citizens. Hopefully, Oregon lawmakers will support HB 3099 and help Oregon communities catch up with the rest of the nation.
The reality is that fluoridation of public water systems is effective and cost-efficient. Systems with recommended levels of fluoride do not harm the environment. Fluoridation also is a way to give everyone, regardless of their income level, a proven method of preventing tooth decay and its related health problems.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention consider fluoridation one of 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century. In other words, it's been proven to work and it's time to give more Oregonians an opportunity to let it work for them.
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Despite the proven benefits of the addition of a chemical to increase the concentration of fluoride ions in drinking water to reduce the incidence of tooth decay, Oregon continues to lag behind the rest of the nation and the world in giving residents a safe, effective and inexpensive way to prevent tooth decay and the health problems associated with it.
It's time to put a stop to this. That's the purpose of legislation (House Bill 3099) being debated this month in Salem.
Consider these facts:
# Currently 66 percent of United States residents, more than 170 million people, receive their water from public water supplies that have fluoridated water.
# Communities with fluoridated drinking water in the United States, Australia, Britain, Canada, Ireland and New Zealand have 15 percent to 40 percent less tooth decay than communities without fluoridated water.
# The annual cost of fluoridation is approximately 50 cents per person per year in larger communities and $3 per person annually in smaller communities.
# In most cities, every dollar invested in water fluoridation saves $38 in dental-treatment costs.
The problems created by lack of fluoridation are particularly acute in children between ages 5 and 17 where tooth decay is five times more common than asthma and seven times more common than hay fever. Failing to protect our children can result in more than just rotten teeth. It also can mean untreated mouth infections that imperil a youngster's overall health and add to the estimated 51 million school hours lost each year because of dental-related illnesses.
Fluoride benefits adults as well. Oral disease can put pregnant women at risk for premature delivery and their infants at risk for low birth weight. Oral disease also can worsen problems for individuals with heart conditions or diabetes. For seniors, oral disease reduces the ability to get adequate nutrition and creates other problems that endanger people's ability to lead independent, healthy and safe lives.
Sadly, only about 20 percent of Oregonians are served by fluoridated public water systems. Recent statistics show that 56 percent of Oregon children 6 to 8 years old have some level of tooth decay. By age 15, it's 69 percent. Among Oregonians older than 60, 18 percent have lost all of their teeth because of preventable dental disease.
It's hard to believe that a state with as progressive a record and reputation as Oregon could be so far behind the curve when it comes to protecting the health of its citizens. Hopefully, Oregon lawmakers will support HB 3099 and help Oregon communities catch up with the rest of the nation.
The reality is that fluoridation of public water systems is effective and cost-efficient. Systems with recommended levels of fluoride do not harm the environment. Fluoridation also is a way to give everyone, regardless of their income level, a proven method of preventing tooth decay and its related health problems.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention consider fluoridation one of 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century. In other words, it's been proven to work and it's time to give more Oregonians an opportunity to let it work for them.
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