“On behalf of Samaritan Albany General Hospital and Samaritan Health Services, I write to express our support of continuing water fluoridation in the City of Albany’s water supply…

“According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a letter dated March 2, 2021 by Casey Hannan and Dr. Lorena Espinoza, DDS, states, “Water fluoridation is beneficial for reducing and controlling tooth decay and promoting oral health across the lifespan. Evidence shows that water fluoridation prevent tooth decay by providing frequent and consistent contact with low levels of fluoride, ultimately reducing tooth decay by 25% in children and adults. The CDC also states that no convincing scientific evidence has been found linking community water fluoridation with any potential adverse health effects or systemic disorders. Additional evidence shows that schoolchildren living in communities where water is fluoridated have, on average, 2.25 fewer decayed teeth compared to similar children not living in fluoridated communities.”

“The well-regarded Healthy People 2030 report indicates, in stating one of its goals, that dental sealants, fluoridated water and toothpaste can also help reduce tooth decay in children and adolescents. Finally, the Oregon Health Authority’s Oral Health Public Health Division indicates that water fluoridation is a·proven, safe and low-cost way to protect children, adults, and older adults from cavities and is seen one of the top 10 greatest public health achievements of our time. It is, truly, one of the simplest and most cost-effective means of ensuring better health for all Albany residents.

“In our role as the region’s largest health care organization, we urge your continued support of water fluoridation in Albany.”

“… Please see the attached one-pager compiled by the Fluoride Action Network. I like FAN’s one-pagers because fluoridation is a is a broad, deep topic and it’s easy to get overwhelmed by information overload. These are helpful because they’re not too lengthy but also provide complete documentation in case you want to go deeper into the subject…

“About 74% of the U.S. population drinks fluoridated water, but most people don’t realize the U.S. is in a very small minority. Out of 196 nations, only 24 have any fluoridation, and only 10 for more than half their population. Although some say it’s one of the top ten health achievements, the facts tell a different story – it’s actually one of the most widely rejected health interventions in the world. Many nations, especially in Europe, prohibit it. Please note the attached one-pager…

• A landmark Canadian study published in the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Pediatrics showed an average 4.5 point loss of IQ in boys whose mothers had drunk fluoridated water during their pregnancies. The quality and interest in this study was so high that it was ranked #1 out of 175 research studies published by JAMA Pediatrics in 2019. (https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2762857)