MADISON, Ala. (WAFF) – Madison Utilities stopped adding fluoride to the drinking water one year ago.
Local dentists said they’re watching closely for what it could mean for children’s teeth in the years ahead.
Dentists with Alabama Pediatric Dental Associates said it’s still too early to see major changes in patients right now, because fluoride affects teeth as they develop.
They said any impact would likely take years to show up, and children would be the most affected.
“We are very concerned about cavity rates increasing,” said Dr. Richard Butler, a pediatric dentist at Alabama Pediatric Dental Associates.
Butler said fluoride helps strengthen teeth as they form.
Without it, he worries children’s developing teeth could come in weaker, leading to more tooth decay.
He said if that happens, it could also mean families face more dental procedures and higher overall costs.
“Then obviously dental costs will increase. Not the cost of a filling but the fact that you’re having to do more dental work to fix problems,” Butler said. “And then obviously general health. The health of the mouth plays a big part in the health of the body too.”
Dr. Paul Sproul, an orthodontist at the same practice, said children who do not have regular access to dental care could be impacted the most.
“It’s going to be my orthodontic patients down the road too,” Sproul said. “When they get braces and they’re just more prone to getting scar marks and cavities on their teeth because it’s harder to clean.”
Sproul said other cities that removed fluoride saw problems show up years later.
He pointed to Calgary, Canada, which took fluoride out of its drinking water more than a decade ago, then later put it back after city leaders saw increased dental decay.
“They started seeing those patients as they got older, more and more dental problems, dental decay,” Sproul said.
Dr. Sproul said it could affect adults too.
He said older adults who take medications that cause dry mouth could be more likely to develop tooth decay, because they have less saliva protecting their teeth.
Dr. Butler said prevention is key now that fluoride is out of the water.
“Brushing properly, flossing properly, doing everything routinely because now that fluoride’s out of the water, it’s going to rely mostly on home care instead of developing strength,” Butler said.
WAFF 48 reached out to Madison Utilities for a comment and did not hear back in time.
Original article online at: https://www.waff.com/2026/06/16/madison-marks-one-year-without-fluoride-water-dentists-warn-cavity-rates-could-rise/