Hawaii ranks at or near the top of the most healthy states annually, but this is not the case for our oral health. We consistently rank at or near the bottom in this category. Water fluoridation has been shown to effectively stop or even reverse tooth decay.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the nation’s premier public health agency, water fluoridation is safe and is the most cost-effective way of preventing tooth decay. The agency has named community water fluoridation as one of the 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century.

More than three-fourths of Americans drink water with fluoride added. Drinking fluoridated water keeps teeth strong and reduces tooth decay by about 25 percent in children and adults. It is time Hawaii add fluoride to our public water systems.

Kathy Dean

Kakaako

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