Frequently
Asked Questions
Fluoride
Commissioners
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Cross Connections | Conservation
Water Supply and Restrictions
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Infants and Fluoride (ADA)
FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT FLUORIDE
06/03/2008
| DISCLAIMER District
customers may obtain additional information regarding
fluoridation from a number of sources such as health care
professionals, the public library, other government agencies,
public and private organizations and the Internet. The
views and opinions of other sources and authors referenced
in this website do not necessarily reflect those of the
Sammamish Plateau Water & Sewer District.
This website may have links to information created
and maintained by other public and private organizations.
None of the information from the website links identified
in this website is an official publication of the District
unless it is specifically labeled as such. The District
does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance,
timeliness or completeness or assume any legal liability
or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or usefulness
of any information provided by these external sources.
Further, the identification of any external link is not
intended to reflect that website's importance, nor is
it intended to endorse any views expressed or products
or services offered by the external organization or information
source.
Reference in this website to any specific commercial
products, processes, or services by trade name, trademark,
manufacturer or otherwise does not constitute or imply
its endorsement, recommendation or favoring by the District.
With respect to any specific products, processes or services,
the District makes no warranties, express or implied,
including but not limited to the warranties of merchantability
and fitness for a particular purpose. No information,
views or opinions expressed in this website may be used
for the purposes of advertising or to imply product endorsement
or recommendation by the District.
Further, the District has not taken a position on the
efficacy of fluoride to reduce or prevent oral disease or tooth
decay. |
What
is Fluoride?
Why do water providers add fluoride
to their water supply?
How is fluoride added to the water supply?
How can I tell if I am in an area receiving fluoride?
Why are some areas of the District not fluoridated?
What if I don't want fluoride in my water?
Will the District reimburse me for costs
I expend to install treatment devices to remove fluoride?
My dental care or health care provider
has been giving our family fluoride supplements. Should I continue
or stop using these supplements?
Where can I find more information about
fluoridation?
What
is fluoride?
Fluoride comes from the element fluorine and occurs naturally
in the environment. Water fluoridation is the adjustment of
the natural fluoride levels to the level recommended for public
health by the Washington State Administrative Code. The United
States Public Health Service has conducted extensive research
on fluoridation levels for public health.
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Why
do water providers add fluoride to their water supply?
The primary reason is that scientific research has
concluded that the addition of fluoride to water supplies is
an effective and inexpensive way to reduce oral disease and
tooth decay. According to the American Dental Association, the
United States has over 50 years of practical experience with
community water fluoridation.
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How
is fluoride added to the water supply?
The District is utilizing sodium fluoride to fluoridate
the District’s water supply. Sodium fluoride comes in
a granular form similar to salt. Dry sodium fluoride is poured
into a drum of water, called a saturator tank, and a consistent
water level is maintained. Water can only hold a certain amount
of fluoride, so the water becomes saturated with the sodium
fluoride. This fluoride solution is then metered into the distribution
system.
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How
can I tell if I am in an area receiving fluoride?
A. Follow this link to view a map of which areas are receiving
fluoridated water: Fluoridation
Zones
B. Contact the District Customer Service Department with your
address and/or account number.
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Why
are some areas of the District not fluoridated?
The District shares a storage tank with Northeast Sammamish
Sewer & Water District (NESSWD). The NESSWD does not fluoridate
their supply, so fluoride will not be added to the water supplied
to the area that utilizes the shared tank.
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What
if I don't want fluoride in my water?
We realize that not all of our customers want fluoride in their
water for a variety of reasons. The District has received a
consultant’s report entitled “An Evaluation of Fluoride
Removal Technologies for District Customers” which includes
information about various strategies for fluoride removal, including
comparisons of Point of Use (POU) and Point of Entry (POE) fluoride
removal devices. Click
Here to view the report. You can consult this report to
pursue your options to remove fluoride from your drinking water
to meet your individual needs. If you choose to obtain and utilize
a POU/POE device, please carefully follow all manufacturer operation
and maintenance guidelines, including changing filters as necessary.
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Will
the District reimburse me for costs I expend to install treatment
devices to remove fluoride?
The District is unable to offer reimbursement to customers whom
do not want fluoride in their water and purchase treatment devices
or utilize other methods to obtain non-fluoridated water. The
Washington State constitution prohibits the gifting of public
funds and public property and reimbursement of such costs would
be considered a “gifting” of public funds.
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My
dental care or health care provider has been giving our family
fluoride supplements. Should I continue or stop using these
supplements?
You should provide your dental and health care professional
with information on whether you will be getting fluoride added
to the water, and let them determine the next course of action.
Prior to starting fluoridation of the District
water supply, the District will send a notification to each
customer. This notification will identify whether your house
will be receiving fluoridated water, and will include information
notices that can be provided to your dental and health care
providers.
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Where
can I find more information about fluoridation?
District customers may obtain additional information regarding
this issue from a number of sources. The Internet provides a
source of information using standard search engines, although
before accepting any information found on the Internet at face
value, you should carefully consider the source of the information.
Your review of any literature about fluoridation should include
a thorough examination of the author’s background and
credentials, where the research was conducted, the year the
article was published, whether or not the article is specific
to community water fluoridation, and the methods used to conduct
the research. The public library also is a source of information.
A few links to some web sites are provided on the District Website.
Customers should contact their dentist or health care professional
for specific information about the effects of fluoridation based
on your specific health situation and that of your family members.
You can find more information on fluoridation of the District’s
water supply by following this
link.
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