07/09/2024
Great recognition for our local city services! Thank you, Warroad Municipal Utilities, for seeing the health value to our community members.
According to the CDC, water fluoridation is one of the most practical, cost-effective, and safe ways a community can improve oral health and prevent tooth decay. Fluoridated water can help protect teeth from acid produced by bacteria that break down sugars in food and drinks, making them stronger and less likely to decay. Fluoridation can also help reduce cavities by up to 25% in children and adults, leading to fewer fillings, less mouth pain, and fewer missed days of school and work.
The Mn Dept of Health announced today that Warroad Municipal Utilities has been awarded a Water Fluoridation Quality Award from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC). Fluoridation is the adjustment of fluoride in drinking water to a level that is effective for preventing tooth decay. The award recognizes those communities that achieved excellence in community water fluoridation by maintaining a consistent level of fluoride in drinking water throughout 2022.
For 2022, a total of 1,209 public water systems in 27 states received these awards, including Warroad Municipal Utilities.
"Water fluoridation is one of the best investments that a community can make in maintaining the oral health of its citizens. It is equally as effective in preventing cavities in children & adults," states Casey Hannan, MPH Director, CDC Division of Oral Health. "Fluoridation is also highly cost effective. Studies continue to show that for every $1 a community invests in water fluoridation, $20 are saved in dental treatment costs."
Community water fluoridation has been recognized by CDC as one of 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century. CDC recommends water fluoridation as one of the most practical, cost-effective, equitable and safe measures a community can take to prevent tooth decay and improve oral health.
