5 reasons you should celebrate this unsung Dane County anniversary

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This year marks an anniversary that most people in Dane County don’t know anything about—but it’s one that almost all of us can be thankful for. Because back in 1948, Dane County started adding fluoride to our municipal water supply. And while that may not seem like a big deal, studies prove that people who live and grow in communities with fluoridated water experience less tooth decay. A simple, cost effective way to help everyone have heathier teeth? At First Choice Dental, we think that’s something to celebrate.

Before you raise a toothbrush to 70 years of stronger, brighter Dane County smiles, get to know 5 fast facts about fluoride’s healthy benefits.

#1: Fluoride prevents tooth decay. In fact, simply adding fluoride to our water is so effective at reducing the damage food acids can do to teeth that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention named it one of ten great public health achievements of the 20th century. Seriously.

#2: Fluoride is safe. The science is clear. Just ask the World Health Organization, the American Medical Association, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Dental Association, and a lot of U.S. Surgeon Generals.

#3: Fluoride’s already found in water. It’s a naturally-occurring salt, like a lot of other minerals you can find in our lakes and streams. Look at it this way: communities aren’t adding fluoride—they’re adjusting the level of fluoride to make sure everyone can benefit from its effects.

#4: Fluoride helps everyone. You don’t have to be a kid to benefit from fluoride. Studies show that fluoridated water helps prevent 25% of tooth decay in children and adults. (That 25% is above and beyond the helpful fluoride and tartar-control ingredients found most toothpastes.)

#5: Fluoride is cost effective. Think of the time your family could be spending at the dentist instead of at work or school. Now multiply that by a few million Americans. (Ouch.) Adding fluoride saves us all time and money. Every $1 communities invest avoids $38 in dental care.

Make sure you and your family are getting the fluoride your teeth need. Use the CDC’s My Water’s Fluoride tool to find out about the fluoride levels in your drinking water, or talk to a First Choice Dental provider about your fluoride treatment options, including varnishes, toothpastes, tablets and more.