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SALT LAKE CITY — Community water fluoridation will be prohibited in Utah beginning Wednesday, May 7, and dental health experts are encouraging citizens to prepare for the change.
The Utah Department of Health and Human Services recommends paying greater attention to oral health as about half the population transitions from having fluoridated drinking water. Leaders from the state health department recommend calling one's local public water system to get more information on how much natural fluoride is present in their water. Health care professionals can use this information to assess if additional fluoride supplements may be needed.
"We recognize the benefits of fluoride to overall health," said Stacey Swilling, state dental director for the Department of Health and Human Services, in a press release. "While community water fluoridation will no longer be available, there are measures that can be taken to reduce the risk of developing cavities. The law now allows pharmacists to prescribe fluoride, in addition to dentists and doctors. We encourage Utahns to have regular checkups with a dentist or health care provider to make sure they are doing everything they can to protect their oral health."
Fluoride supplements are covered by many insurance providers, and Utah Medicaid will cover the supplement for kids up to 16 years old, according to Swilling. The health department also recommends brushing with fluoride toothpaste twice a day, flossing before bed, limiting sugar intake and abstaining from nicotine and tobacco use to improve oral health.
About 1.6 million people who live in Salt Lake County, Davis County and Brigham City will be affected by the removal of the mineral from city water. For the counties that have not been using community water fluoridation methods, professionals still recommend asking local water system personnel about the levels of naturally occurring fluoride in their drinking water. Residents can identify their public water system provider using the Department of Environmental Quality's digital search form.
As the water fluoridation ban goes into effect, dentists and other health professionals expect to see an increase in dental caries, or tooth decay. Children and elderly populations will likely feel this impact the most, as developing and aging teeth tend to be the most vulnerable, according to Darren Chamberlain, pediatric dentist and Utah Dental Association board member. He also said he thinks the ban may lead to increased costs for dental care and an increased need for dentists and hygienists to treat dental caries.
"If you look at the statistics," said Chamberlain, "we're going to see a minimum of a 25% increase in number of cavities, and so we're going to see the expenses in Medicaid increase exponentially because we're going to have a significant increase in cavities. So, we're hoping that (lawmakers) have taken that into account, that we have funds to be able to combat this passage of legislation."
The fluoride removal will also affect those outside community water fluoridation areas through the halo effect, according to Rodney Thornell, a dentist and officer of the Utah Dental Association. The halo effect, or diffusion effect, occurs when items are produced or grown in an area using fluoridated water and are then distributed to nonfluoridated areas.
"There's a lot of carryover from fluoride in our community that actually gets passed to all the other communities, like anything that's bottled here, anything that's painted here, and stuff that is grown here ... then sent out to the rest of the state," said Thornell. "So when that's gone, it's going to affect even Utah County, who hasn't had fluoride, a lot worse than they think it is going to right now. That's why we want everyone to know, even if they haven't been getting fluoride some other way at this point, we want them, wherever they are in the state, to do that."
Gov. Spencer Cox signed the fluoride amendments bill, HB81, on March 27, making Utah the first state in the nation to ban fluoride from public water systems. Since then, Florida lawmakers have also passed legislation banning the addition of the mineral to public water.
Those who oppose community water fluoridation are often concerned about overconsumption of the mineral, which can have adverse health effects. These can include dental fluorosis, a cosmetic condition that causes stains on teeth when exposed to excessive amounts of fluoride as permanent teeth are developing. Chamberlain recommends receiving directions on fluoride use and consumption from a dentist to avoid using or consuming more fluoride than necessary.
For information on finding a dentist or low-income dental resources, visit the Department of Health and Human Services' website.
