Re: Is a lower IQ for our kids worth harder teeth?, Opinion, Aug. 27

Tooth decay is a serious problem that can affect everyone. It can cause significant pain, loss of sleep, systemic complications, and inability to concentrate or perform daily tasks. In children, these problems can impair normal brain development.

Fluoride exists naturally in Calgary’s water. But its natural levels do not afford dental protection. Decades of experience and evidence support water fluoridation programs that top up background levels by 0.3 to 0.6 parts per million (ppm) to achieve a concentration of 0.7 ppm, which reduces decay rates by as much as 44 per cent. Recent scientific reports commissioned by Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, and Australia concluded fluoridation is safe and effective.

In 2011, city councillors removed fluoridation; two years later, dental decay had risen 146 per cent. As Calgarians, we sincerely hope that city council restores fluoridation, a public health intervention supported by Calgarians in two prior plebiscites.

Michelle Jung, Juliet Guichon and 24 other physician signatories, Calgary

*Original letter online at https://calgaryherald.com/opinion/letters/your-letters-for-sept-5

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