In a joint statement released by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), state health officers threw their weight firmly behind the practice of community water fluoridation. CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer Dr. Erica Pan, along with State Dental Director Dr. Shakalpi Pendurkar, asserted that adjusting fluoride levels in drinking water is, dare we say, a no-brainer for combating tooth decay in Californians of all stripes.
“The California Department of Public Health supports optimal levels of fluoride in drinking water as a safe, effective and cost-saving public health intervention to improve the health and well-being of California’s diverse people and communities,” the statement read. This stance comes as no shock—water fluoridation is widely recognized to be among the most cost-effective and universally beneficial health measures available. It seeks to universally benefit each community member, particularly aiding those lacking regular access to dental care.
Fluoride is natural. It’s found in all drinking water, but community water fluoridation is about fine-tuning that existence to an optimal level that’s been shown to reduce tooth decay. According to a statement from CDPH, this practice has been given the thumbs up by every U.S. Surgeon General over the past 50 years.
Backing this up, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has lauded community water fluoridation as one of 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century.
Original article online at: https://hoodline.com/2025/04/california-health-authorities-advocate-for-community-water-fluoridation-to-fight-tooth-decay/