Our community faces significant oral health challenges that disproportionately affect people with low incomes, people of color, people with disabilities, young children, and older adults. We support for adjusting the level of fluoride in Spokane’s water supply to provide a good balance for health. The level we recommend is .7 milligrams of fluoride per liter of water, as determined by the Federal Department of Health and Human Services and approved by the Washington State Board of Health.

Fluoride is a mineral that is found in all water, but not all water has the right balance to protect health. When communities provide the level of fluoride in water that best protects against cavities, it is called fluoridation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends community water fluoridation (CWF) and has named it one of 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century.

After 75 years of evidence and practice, the leading health experts, including the American Medical Association, American Dental Association and American Academy of Pediatrics, agree: fluoridated water prevents tooth decay. Most people in America — about 73% of people in U.S. towns or cities — have access to a good balance of fluoride. Good oral health leads to better overall health. Our current global pandemic has exposed the serious health inequities in our community; we need to do everything possible to improve the health for all of our residents.

If we care about health equity, then water fluoridation is long overdue in Spokane. Strong evidence shows that fluoridation helps to close the dental inequities between wealthy and low-income residents. In a 2002 article, a leading researcher wrote called fluoridation “the most effective and practical method of reducing the SES-based disparities” in tooth decay. In Washington State, more than 3.5 million people get fluoridated water where they live. Most of the larger cities in our state promise water with a good balance of fluoride, including Tacoma, Yakima, Seattle, and Ellensburg. In our region, communities already have fluoridated water, including Cheney, Pullman and Fairchild AFB. In fact, the Defense Department requires fluoridation because it improves military readiness.

Because Spokane is missing out, many children in our community are on a path for decay and pain. Children from low-income families and communities of color are often hit the hardest by tooth decay and are less likely to have access to dental care. Research shows that painful cavities make kids nearly three times more likely to miss school and more likely to earn below-average grades. As youth in poverty are even more likely to have cavities, this further risks widening inequities in health and education for youth in low-income households. Preventing cavities through community water fluoridation helps youth stay in school and focused on achieving good grades, supporting their long-term success in life. Cavities are the #1 preventable chronic disease in children.

Every dollar invested in community water fluoridation has been shown to save an average $32 in dental treatment costs. Community water fluoridation helps ensure all people in Spokane have the best chance to live life with a healthy smile, regardless of their insurance, income, or access to regular dental care. The 70 years of science and research tell us that providing community water fluoridation is good public policy and will support the health and vitality of this community for generations to come. For the health of all our citizens, we urge our elected leaders to support water fluoridation in Spokane.