Community Water Fluoridation (CWF) §  Limitedaccesstodentalcarecanleadtoseverehealthcomplicationsaswell as negative social consequences. Fluoridating community water benefits everyone living in the community, regardless of age or socioeconomic status. CWF saves money in addition to saving teeth. The average lifetime cost per person to fluoridate a community’s water can be less than the cost of one dental filling1. §  Fluorideworksbymakingtheouterlayerofteethstrongerandlesslikelytoget cavities. It can also prevent or even reverse the decay process2. CWF is the single most effective public health measure to prevent tooth decay3. §  Dentaldecayisthesecondmostfrequentconditionsufferedbychildren,and is one of the leading causes of absences from school. Water fluoridation can reduce tooth decay in children’s primary teeth by up to 60 percent, and in their permanent teeth by up to 35 percent. Adults experience a 20 to 40 per cent reduction in tooth decay from lifelong exposure to water fluoridation4. §  The use of CWF as a safe and effective way to reduce dental cavities is endorsed by over 90 national and international professional health organizations, including: Health Canada, the American Dental Association; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and the World Health Organization. §  Studiesshowthatwhenfluorideisaddedtowateratrecommendedlevels,it is not linked to adverse health effects5. American Dental Association. 10 Reasons to Fluoridate Public Water. 2012. Available at: http://www.ada.org/~/media/ADA/Member%20Center/FIles/article_10reasons.ashx Canadian Dental Association. Fluoride FAQs. Available at: http://www.cda-adc.ca/en/oral_health/faqs/fluoride_faqs.asp#1 American Dental Association. 10 Reasons to Fluoridate Public Water. 2012. Available at: http://www.ada.org/~/media/ADA/Member%20Center/FIles/article_10reasons.ashx King, Dr. Arlene, Chief Medical Officer of Health. Oral Health – More Than Just Cavities A Report by Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health. April 2012. Available at: http://www.fluoridesandhealth.ie/download/documents/oral_health_CMO_Ontario.pdf Health Canada. Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality. Guideline Technical Document. Fluoride. Ottawa, Ontario 2010. Available at: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ ewh-semt/alt_formats/hecs-sesc/pdf/pubs/water-eau/2011-fluoride-fluorure/2011- fluoride-fluorure-eng.pdf