Fluoridation: Improving Children's Oral Health
/The first time I saw a child with teeth destroyed to the gumlines, I thought he had ectodermal dysplasia. Never heard of that? It's a very rare inborn condition. I had seen it twice during my training at Cook County Hospital, but I had never seen what this Spokane boy had in the spring of 1985. Cavities had rotted out all of his front teeth.
The difference? Chicago's water is fluoridated. Spokane's water is not.
Spokane is way behind. In the U.S., 73 percent of people have access to a good balance of fluoride. Without balancing fluoride in the water, Spokanites have to take extra steps to protect their teeth — steps the rest of the country rarely considers.
Our dental community has worked hard to improve the dental health of our children. They created the ABCD Program to provide free dental care to children. The dentist, family physicians, and pediatricians of Spokane have worked together to provide fluoride varnish and dental education to our families.
These medical professionals have done everything in their power to help prevent cavities. Unfortunately for working families who cannot take time off, going to the dentist — even for free — or to the physicians' office is too difficult.
I remember helping chaperone one of my son's 5th-grade class on a field trip. The children in my group were amazed I had my real teeth, not dentures because none of their moms, dads, and grandparents did.
We need to change this reality. It's time for Spokane's water to become fluoridated. Good oral health leads to better overall health. One of the most efficient and cost-effective things we could do in our community is to adjust the level of fluoride in our water to provide a good balance for health.