Water fluoridation is considered one of the greatest public health achievements of the 20th century.  More than 90 national and international professional health organizations including Health Canada, the Canadian Public Health Association, the Canadian Dental Association, the Canadian Medical Association, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institutes for Health and the World Health Organization (WHO) endorse the use of fluoride at recommended levels to prevent tooth decay.

The Ontario Dental Association states that dental decay is the most frequent condition suffered by children other than the common cold, and is one of the leading causes of absence from school. We also know that the poorer one is, the less healthy one is. Dental health follows this pattern too. There is a direct relationship between poverty, lack of access to care and dental caries (cavities).

In the EOHU area, dental health support is a priority. Water fluoridation is a particularly important public health intervention that reduces inequalities in health. Fluoridation provides a form of protection to all, including, and very importantly, the vulnerable and most at risk.

For more information, read Dr. Paul's report on water fluoridation: