Community Water Fluoridation in Canada – Trends, Benefits, and Risks (University of Guelph Master of Public Health Program)

Fluoride has been added to public drinking water in Canadian communities since the 1940s as a means of preventing tooth decay. Dental fluorosis is a known adverse effect of excessive fluoride exposure during tooth formation. Fluorosis ranges from barely noticeable whitish striations in the enamel to severe pitting and brownish staining. In general, the prevalence of dental fluorosis in communities with water fluoridation is higher in comparison to non-water fluoridated communities. No evidence was found for an association between water fluoridation and any of the following adverse outcomes: bone mineral density, bone fractures, bone cancer, or cancer in other body tissues. The best available evidence supports the finding that water fluoridation reduces the prevalence of dental caries, although this benefit of fluoridation may be limited due to multiple sources of exposures to fluoride that are now available to the public.