Calgary's water supply is set to include fluoride again starting Monday, responding to community advocacy and alarming reports of increasingly poor dental health among children. This decision reverses a 2011 choice to eliminate fluoride due to cost concerns, emphasizing the mineral's role in preventing dental decay.
Calgary Reinstates Fluoride in Drinking Water Following Community Concerns
Calgary Reinstates Fluoride in Drinking Water Following Community Concerns
After removing fluoride in 2011, Calgary has reintroduced the mineral to combat children's declining dental health, backed by local advocacy.
Calgary's residents can expect to see a familiar yet crucial change in their drinking water—fluoride is back, starting Monday. The Western Canadian city is reinstating this mineral in its water supply, prompted by a collective outcry from citizens and alarming trends in children's oral health.
Previously, Calgary opted to remove fluoride from its water in 2011, citing an imbalance between the treatment's costs and benefits. However, as dental health among its younger population continued to decline, residents began advocating for a change. Experts highlight fluoride's well-documented advantages, such as strengthening tooth enamel and significantly reducing cavity occurrences.
Joe Schwarcz, a chemistry professor at McGill University, emphasized the connection between oral and overall health, noting that “poor dental health is linked to poor body health.” Fluoride’s reinstatement may be seen as not only a public health measure but a necessary intervention amidst rising cavity rates.
Despite being one of the most recognized public health advancements of the past century, fluoride has often inspired skepticism and conspiracy theories, particularly concerning its purported associations with government control. Yet, for the residents of Calgary, the focus remains on stabilizing dental health rather than the historical controversies surrounding fluoridation.
As the city embarks on this new chapter, the decision underscores the importance of community input in public health policies and the ongoing battle against misinformation in science.
Previously, Calgary opted to remove fluoride from its water in 2011, citing an imbalance between the treatment's costs and benefits. However, as dental health among its younger population continued to decline, residents began advocating for a change. Experts highlight fluoride's well-documented advantages, such as strengthening tooth enamel and significantly reducing cavity occurrences.
Joe Schwarcz, a chemistry professor at McGill University, emphasized the connection between oral and overall health, noting that “poor dental health is linked to poor body health.” Fluoride’s reinstatement may be seen as not only a public health measure but a necessary intervention amidst rising cavity rates.
Despite being one of the most recognized public health advancements of the past century, fluoride has often inspired skepticism and conspiracy theories, particularly concerning its purported associations with government control. Yet, for the residents of Calgary, the focus remains on stabilizing dental health rather than the historical controversies surrounding fluoridation.
As the city embarks on this new chapter, the decision underscores the importance of community input in public health policies and the ongoing battle against misinformation in science.
