Sir: As President of the Ontario Dental Association, I want to set the record straight on the overwhelming evidence of the benefits of water fluoridation in your community.

According to a Health Canada report released in 2007 by a panel of experts, water fluoridation in the correct amount is both safe and effective. There is no link to any kind of “dangerous effects” (as stated by Mr. Czechowicz in his letter dated Oct. 1, 2008).

Furthermore, Health Canada’s website states they “support water fluoridation as a public health measure to prevent dental decay,” and that “the big advantage of water fluoridation is that it benefits all residents in a community regardless of age, socioeconomic status, education or employment.”

But if this isn’t enough evidence for you, international experts such as the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, Ga., have recognized the fluoridation of drinking water to prevent dental decay as “one of the 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century.” The U. S. Surgeon General also agrees: “Community water fluoridation continues to be the most cost-effective, equitable and safe means to provide protection from tooth decay in a community.” Finally, the World Health Organization (WHO) believes that “universal access to fluoride for dental health is a part of the basic human right to life.”

These are the facts. Water fluoridation is safe and effective. When I started practise in 1969, almost every kid had cavities. Today it is rare to find a cavity in a kid and fluoride is the main reason.

Please take the time to get to know the facts about this important issue; they will make a tremendous difference to you and to your family.

For more information you can visit our website at www.youroralhealth.ca.

Dr. Larry Levin, President

Ontario Dental Association

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