Alternatives to Removal of Fluoride from Municipal Water

With water fluoridation under scrutiny and frequent questions from patients, I felt discussing the topic of fluoridation and its alternatives would be a perfect article. This is not intended to be politically motivating, but to provide facts so you, the reader, can make informed decisions.

According to The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, water fluoridation was first implemented in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1945. The Grand Rapids water fluoridation project was a 15-year study which supported that water fluoridation decreased dental caries by 50 or 60%. “This finding, considering the thousands of participants in the study, amounted to a giant scientific breakthrough that promised to revolutionize dental care, making tooth decay for the first time in history a preventable disease.” The John’s Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health has stated that fluoride in our water has passively protected the oral health of Americans for decades and the CDC has declared water fluoridation one of the 20th century’s greatest public health achievements.

When you evaluate water fluoridation worldwide, most European countries neither adopted water fluoridation or elected to discontinue its use. European countries found fluoridating water was logistically difficult, expensive, lacking studies at that time to support water fluoridation, having ethical considerations of not wanting to impose water fluoridation on the populace without informed consent, potential health risks, and cultural differences. Currently, the European Union does not ban water fluoridation, but allows each country to make its own decision based on values and assessment of evidence.

We won’t know until implemented how lack of water fluoridation will affect our population, but research and history would strongly suggest that we need to consider alternative to methods to prevent tooth decay. For years, hydroxyapatite has been a recommended and effective alternative. Similar to fluoride, hydroxyapatite repairs and strengthens enamel by replenishing calcium and phosphate. A December, 2024 article published in the Journal of Dentistry states in a systematic review that clinical trials confirmed hydroxyapatite oral healthcare products can reduce the risk of dental caries in the absence of fluoride.

Xylitol, a naturally occurring sugar found in fruits, vegetables, and berries has also been shown to stop the cavity disease process from starting. This naturally occurring sugar is artificially manufactured from xylan-rich plant rich plant materials such as birch and beechwood. Orally, Xylitol reduces the amount of cavity causing bacteria in plaque and saliva by disrupting bacteria energy production and reduces their ability to adhere to the tooth surface and produce acid. We may have had you fooled, but believe those fun suckers we give out at the Fun Before the Fourth Parade are healthy and contain Xylitol!

I hope this article has provided you, our readers, the knowledge to make an informed decision about which oral healthcare product is best to provide you and your family cavity prevention. To know more about xylitol or hydroxyapatite, please visit our website at mequonsmiledesign.com.