The Dukes County Health Council at its meeting on March 29 heard presentations from several dentists who provide care to adults and children on Martha’s Vineyard, and from the Edgartown health agent concerning the benefits and risks of town water fluoridation. It was clear to the vast majority of council members that town water fluoridation provides significant benefits to both children and adults in terms of dramatically reducing tooth decay that will save significant community member expense. The financial benefit is most prominent for those for who lack access to a dentist or who cannot seek dental care due to the burdensome or even prohibitive expense.

More importantly, especially for children, the risks, stress and pain of dental procedures when local or general anesthesia is required due to advanced dental decay is decreased, as is the risk of disease secondary to persistent dental infection. Community water fluoridation at the current CDC recommended level of 0.7 parts per million has been scientifically proved safe and has been successfully used over 70 years for more than 200 million U.S. residents. Consequently the Dukes County Health Council enthusiastically passed the following resolution:

“The Dukes County Health Council supports the American Dental Association and our local dental practitioners in their position regarding fluoridation of public water supplies.”

Water fluoridation will benefit our community.

Dr. Charles Hodge
Edgartown