Texas Comptroller Don Huffines announced Tuesday that his office is launching a review of fluoridation in public drinking water, including what Texans spend on it, what research says about health effects and whether other approaches could improve dental care.
“When government puts something in the water that every Texan drinks, the people who pay for it and drink it deserve to know exactly what it costs, what it does, and whether there is a smarter way to get the same result,” Huffines said in the announcement.
Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that is often added to public water systems to help prevent tooth decay. The Texas Department of State Health Services says community water fluoridation is safe and cost-effective and is recommended by nearly all public health, medical, and dental organizations.
According to DSHS, about 105 public water systems in Texas adjust fluoride levels in drinking water, serving roughly 9.7 million people. The agency says about 19.6 million Texans, or 72 percent of the population, drink water with adjusted or naturally occurring fluoride.
The comptroller’s office said fluoridation costs about 64 cents per person per year. With roughly 9.7 million Texans served by public water systems that add fluoride, the office estimated the cost at about $6.3 million annually.
Huffines framed the review as a question of cost, transparency and medical choice.
“We should ask whether a mandatory, one-size-fits-all approach is the best way to promote dental health, or whether families would be better served by targeted, voluntary solutions,” he said.
The review will examine statewide spending on water fluoridation, health effects of fluoridated water, other state-supported public health mandates and how other countries and states have responded to fluoridation, according to the comptroller’s office.
DSHS says fluoride strengthens tooth enamel and, for most cities, every $1 invested in water fluoridation saves $38 in dental treatment costs.
The review also comes as some areas of Texas already have naturally occurring fluoride in their water. The comptroller’s office said it will examine whether taxpayers and ratepayers should be paying to add more where nature has already provided enough.
The comptroller’s announcement did not include a timeline for when the review will be completed. Chron has reached out to the comptroller’s office for additional comment.
Original article online at: https://www.chron.com/texas/article/texas-fluoride-drinking-water-22456181.php