Massachusetts fluoridation update 2006

Massachusetts has a long history of activity with community water fluoridation. Although the state has 3.8 million people living in 137 fluoridated communities, there are more than 2 million people who do not have these benefits. The Bay State is ranked 35th in the country regarding the percent of people on public water supplies with fluoridation. We can do better than that. We have more than 60 years of experience receiving the health and economic benefits of fluoridation in our country; however, there is still a lot of misinformation about fluoridation, and the unreliable nature of information posted on the Internet exacerbates much of this misinformation. Dental professionals, their patients, and decision-makers must be continuously educated about the safety, health, and economic benefits of community water fluoridation. Patients from 6 months to 16 years of age living in nonfluoridated communities should be prescribed supplemental fluoride. Dental professionals in nonfluoridated communities should assist them to become fluoridated. All dental professionals need to become more involved in the leadership of their communities.