Opinion: Questions of health and ethics swirl around fluoridated water
Potential risks deserve attention but must be weighed against the tangible benefits — particularly for the marginalized.
A healthy smile should not depend on socioeconomic status. For decades, fluoride has been hailed as a champion in the fight against tooth decay among people from all social backgrounds. Its introduction into municipal water supplies in the 1940s marked a watershed moment in preventive dentistry. Yet, since 2017, several Canadian municipalities have discontinued adding fluoride to drinking water, and as recently as 2022, only 38.8 per cent of Canadians had access to fluoridated water. Read More