State Fluoride Database

Read the latest fluoride news from your state; find out if your town is fluoridated, see if any communities have recently rejected fluoridation, learn if your state has a law that mandates fluoridation, and other fluoride-related information.

Oregon

WATER FLUORIDATION STATUS:

  • PERCENT OF PEOPLE SERVED BY PUBLIC WATER SYSTEMS THAT ARE FLUORIDATED:
    2018:  26.3% – ranked #49 among the states (100% fluoridated is ranked #1)
    2016:  22.6%
    2014:  22.6%
    201222.6%
    2006:  27.4%
    2000:  22.7%
    1992:  24.8%
  • To see if your town is fluoridated, click here.
  • To learn when your town was fluoridated, and which fluoridation chemical it uses, click here.

Water fluoridation accident: 

  • Pendleton – June 2-8, 1981:
    Cause of Accident: Pipe leading from fluoride storage tank broke.
    Results: 4,000 gallons of fluoride leaked into ground. Brett McKnight, DEQ environmental engineer stated “From the data gathered from the soil sampling and water samples, there exists a real need for continual monitoring in the areas.” The Umatilla Indian Reservation water also comes from this source.
    Source: East Oregonian (7/20/81)

LATEST NEWS:

  • To see the latest news on fluoride developments in Oregon, click here.
  • To see an updated list of Oregon’s professionals calling for an end to fluoridation, click here.

For a quick overview, Michael Dolan, in his November 2021 Fluoridation Review, listed these cities and towns in Oregon:

The following list of fluoridated cities and towns is based on information obtained from the Oregon Health Authority, 2020.

Fluoridated cities and towns: Albany, Astoria, Beaverton, Burnside Water Assn., Coos Bay, Coquille, Corvalis, Dallas, The Dalles, Dean Minard Water Dist., Dumbeck-Lane Domestic Water Supply Dist., Fernhill, Florence, Forest Grove, Gearhart, Hillsboro-Butternut Creek, Independence, John Day Water Dist., Keizer, Lebanon, McMinnville, Millersburg, Monmouth, North Bend, Olney-Walluski Water Assn., Orchard Heights Water Assn., Philomath, Rink Creek Water Dist., Salem, Scappoose, Seaside, Shelley Road-Crest Acres Water Dist., Sheridan, Silverton, Sodaville, Stanley Acres Water Assn., Sublimity, Sweet Home, Tigard, Troutdale, Turner, Warrenton, Washington Co. (unincorporated), Willow Dale Water Dist.

Non-fluoridated cities and towns (incomplete): Adair Village, Amity, Arlington, Ashland, Athena, Aumsville, Aurora, Baker City, Bandon, Banks, Bay City, Bend, Boardman, Bonanza, Brookings, Brownsville, Burns, Butte Falls, Canby, Cannon Beach, Canyon City, Canyonville, Carlton, Cascade Locks, Cave Junction, Central Point, Chiloquin, Clatskanie, Coburg, Columbia City, Condon, Cornelius, Cottage Grove, Cove, Creswell, Culver, Dayton, Depoe Bay, Donald, Drain, Dufur, Dundee, Dunes City, Durham, Eagle Point, Echo, Elgin, Enterprise, Estacada, Eugene, Fairview, Falls City, Fossil, Garibaldi, Gaston, Gates, Gervais, Gladstone, Glendale, Gold Beach, Gold Hill, Grants Pass, Gresham, Haines, Halsey, Happy Valley, Harrisburg, Heppner, Hermiston, Hines, Hood River, Hubbard, Huntington, Irrigon, Island City, Jacksonville, Jefferson, Johnson City, Joseph, Junction City, King City, Klamath Falls, Lafayette, La Grande, La Pine, Lake Oswego, Lakeside, Lakeview, Lincoln City, Lowell, Lyons, Madras, Malin, Manzanita, Maupin, Maywood Park, Medford, Merrill, Metolius, Mill City, Millersburg, Milwaukie, Milton-Freewater, Molalla, Monroe, Mosier, Mt. Angel, Mount Vernon, Myrtle Creek, Myrtle Point, Newberg, Newport, North Plains, North Powder, Nyssa, Oakland, Oakridge, Ontario, Oregon City, Pendleton, Phoenix, Pilot Rock, Portland, Port Orford, Powers, Praire City, Prineville, Rainier, Redmond, Reedsport, Riddle, Rockaway Beach, Rogue River, Roseburg, St. Helens, St. Paul, Sandy, Scio, Shady Cove, Sherwood, Siletz, Sisters, Springfield, Stanfield, Stayton, Sutherlin, Talent, Tangent, Tillamook, Toledo, Tualatin, Umatilla, Union, Vale, Veneta, Vernonia, Waldport, Wallowa, West Linn, Weston, Wheeler, Willamina, Wilsonville, Winston, Woodburn, Wood Village, Yachats, Yamhill, Yoncalla

Oregon’s FLUORIDATION LAW:

  • The State of Oregon does not mandate fluoridation.  Local governments control fluoridation policy in OR.  City councils can begin or discontinue fluoridation at their discretion, or by a referendum vote.  Each community’s fluoridation ordinance is unique.  To learn more about these fluoridation ordinances, click here.

DATA ON ORAL HEALTH:

FAN’S STATE COORDINATOR IN Oregon:

We no longer have an Oregon coordinator. If you are interested, please email us at info@fluoridealert.org 

Oregon COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE REJECTED FLUORIDATION:

Community Population Date
Newport 10,120 May 18, 2016
Portland 900,000 May 21, 2013
 Philomath
(NOTE: This decision was reversed in 2012) 
4,604 August 8, 2011
 Ashland
(Decision reversed in 2008)
20,000 November 21, 2006
 Hood River 7,000 May 2005
 Sutherlin 7,797
(as of 2011)
November 7, 2001
 Willamina 2,042
(as of 2011)
January 2001
 Ridgefield 4,782
(as of 2011)
December 22, 1997

OREGON WATER SYSTEMS WITH HIGH FLUORIDE LEVELS:

Water System County Population Fluoride (ppm)
Arlington Gilliam 680 2.4
Stanfield Umatilla 1,660 1.7
Information from CDC’s Fluoridation Census published in 1993.

Of Special Interest.

In 2006, the city of Portland and Multnomah County adopted a Toxics Reduction Strategy, “A plan for minimizing use of toxic substances of concern in government operations by using the Precautionary Principle.” According to the report,

The long-term vision of the Strategy is to promote a healthy community and environment by eliminating the governmental purchase, release and use of toxic substances that present potential negative health or environmental impacts. Specifically, the Strategy establishes the goal of using the Precautionary Principle as a framework for replacing toxic substances, materials or products of concern with viable least-toxic alternatives by 2020. These efforts will be guided by the following principles:
•    Use products and substances that do not contain or generate persistent bioaccumulative and toxic chemicals, heavy metals of concern, or known, probable or suspected carcinogens, mutagens, teratogens, endocrine disrupters, organ toxics or respiratory irritants.
•    Use effective and progressive integrated pest management strategies to minimize reliance on pesticides of concern and to ensure careful screening of products and their application to minimize adverse impacts.
•    Effectively utilize procurement tools that support toxics reduction in the purchase of all goods and services.
•    Implement best management practices that support toxics reduction and proper waste management in all operations.

Superfund Sites:

• Martin Marietta Aluminum Co., The Dalles, Wasco County.
… Groundwater on site is contaminated with cyanide and fluoride. Sediments and soil contain cyanide, fluoride, asbestos, PAHs, and arsenic. People who accidentally ingested or came into direct contact with groundwater, soil, and sediments may have been at risk. Exposure to high levels of cyanide harms the brain and heart. Low levels of cyanide may result in breathing difficulties. Exposure to fluoride is usually low and not harmful. High exposures can cause lung, skin and bone damage….

• Reynolds Metals Superfund Site, City of Troutdale, Multnomah County.
… EPA conducted site investigations at RMC in 1994 that documented contamination is several former waste disposal areas at the site. Contaminants included fluoride, PAHs, cyanide, metals and PCBs. EPA placed the Site on the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) in 1994…

Scrap Yard – This 5.7-acre area was located in the East Area and was used as a storage area for the plant. Soil in the scrap yard was contaminated with fluoride, cyanide, PAHs, PCBs, and metals. Fluoride levels averaged over 30,000 mg/kg in the soils, with the concentrations decreasing with depth. The scrap yard was the source of fluoride and metals contamination in the intermediate sand and sand/gravel water bearing zones, located between the scrap yard and the production wells. This area was cleaned up primarily through early removal actions. Additional waste removal was completed as part of plant demolition activities. Following cleanup from removal actions, mean total fluoride was 489 mg/kg and PAHs were 1.0 mg/kg.

3.7 Basis for Remedial Actions. The RI/FS showed there were high levels of contamination in soil, waste and debris and in the eastern portion north landfill, south landfill, scrap yard area and high levels of contamination in the process residue that was located at the bottom of Company Lake. It also showed that there was a significant plume of fluoride in ground water beneath the RMC facility. Exposures   to waste, soils and debris and Company Lake sediments were associated with significant human heahh risks. The contaminated materials in the waste areas previously described were determined to be the primary sources of groundwater contamination…

Other FLUORIDE POLLUTION SOURCES IN OREGON:

In 2008, Oregon ranked #39 out of 48 states for Hydrogen Fluoride releases (161,955 pounds). The following data comes from EPA’s Toxic Release Inventory (TRI). “Total releases” includes both water and air pollution. It’s important to note, however, that not all industries or sources that release fluoride into the environment are included in the TRI.

2008 Releases
(in pounds)
Type of Industry Name of Industry
78,599 Hazardous Waste/Solvent Recovery CHEMICAL WASTE MANAGEMENT OF T HE NORTHWEST INC. 17629 CEDAR SPRINGS LN, ARLINGTON, Oregon 97812 (GILLIAM)
51,000 Coal-fired power plant BOARDMAN PLANT. 73334 TOWER RD, BOARDMAN, Oregon 97818 (MORROW)
19,970 Primary Metals SELMET INC. 33992 SEVEN MILE LN SE, ALBANY, Oregon 97322 (LINN)
2,035 Computers/Electronics HYNIX SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTUR ING AMERICA INC. 1830 WILLOW CREEK CIR, EUGENE, Oregon 97402 (LANE)
1,987 Computers/Electronics MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC. 21015 SE STARK ST, GRESHAM, Oregon 97030 (MULTNOMAH)
1,765 Primary Metals TDY INDUSTRIES INC DBA WAH CH ANG. 1600 OLD SALEM RD NE, ALBANY, Oregon 97321 (LINN)
1,000 Computers/Electronics ON SEMICONDUCTOR. 23400 NE GLISAN ST, GRESHAM, Oregon 97030 (MULTNOMAH)
993 Primary Metals PCC STRUCTURALS INC LARGE PARTS CAMPUS. 4600 SE HARNEY DR, PORTLAND, Oregon 97206 (MULTNOMAH)
955 Computers/Electronics INTEL CORP – RONLER ACRES CAMPUS. 2501 NW 229TH ST, HILLSBORO, Oregon 97124 (WASHINGTON)
879 Primary Metals PACIFIC CAST TECHNOLOGIES INC. 150 QUEEN AVE SW, ALBANY, Oregon 97322 (LINN)
801 Fabricated Metals APPLIED MATERIALS INC. 21421 NW JACOBSEN RD, HILLSBORO, Oregon 97124 (WASHINGTON)
678 Primary Metals PCC STRUCTURALS INC SCHLOSSER. 345 NE HEMLOCK, REDMOND, Oregon 97756 (DESCHUTES)
500 Chemical Wholesalers CASCADE COLUMBIA DISTRIBUTION. 14200 SW TUALATIN-SHERWOOD RD, SHERWOOD, Oregon 97140 (WASHINGTON)
494 Computers/Electronics SILTRONIC CORP. 7200 NW FRONT AVE, PORTLAND, Oregon 97210 (MULTNOMAH)
260 Chemical Wholesalers KANTO CORP. 13424 N WOODRUSH WAY, PORTLAND, Oregon 97203 (MULTNOMAH)
150 Computers/Electronics MAXIM FAB NORTH. 14320 SW JENKINS RD, BEAVERTON, Oregon 97005 (WASHINGTON)
90 Computers/Electronics HEWLETT PACKARD CO. 1000 NE CIR BLVD, CORVALLIS, Oregon 97330 (BENTON)
25 Computers/Electronics INTEL CORP – ALOHA CAMPUS. 3585 SW 198TH AVE, ALOHA, Oregon 97007 (WASHINGTON)
15 Computers/Electronics INTEGRATED DEVICE TECHNOLOGY INC. 3131 NE BROOKWOOD PKWY, HILLSBORO, Oregon 97124 (WASHINGTON)