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based alphabetical list of the counties
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Over the past 50
years, much has been accomplished, primarily through fluoride,
in reducing the damage caused by dental decay. The most inexpensive
way to deliver the benefits of fluoride to all residents of
a community is through water fluoridation, that is, by adjusting
the level of fluoride in the public water supply. Even though
the per capita cost of water fluoridation over an entire lifetime
comes to less than the cost of one dental filing, more than
100 million American children and adults do not have access
to water containing enough fluoride to protect their teeth.
One "Healthy People 2010 objective for the nation calls
for at least 75% of those served by public water supplies to
receive water with optimal levels of fluoride, yet only 62%
currently do. One million, four hundred thousand (1,400,000)
Arkansans drink from fluoridated water supplies, representing
58% of the state's population.
The Arkansas Community
Water Fluoridation Program is funded under a Federal Preventive
Health block grant and private grants. The program goal is to
aid as many of Arkansas' public water systems as possible to
fluoridate their drinking water. The program provides financial
aid to help water systems purchase and install fluoridation
equipment. This assistance is accomplished through a reimbursement-of-cost
process. In addition, local water operators are trained to operate
and maintain the equipment and perform surveillance of the system.
To date, forty-nine(49) water systems, serving approximately
500,000 persons, have taken advantage of the program.
For more information
on the Arkansas Community Water Fluoridation Program and the
benefits of fluoridation, you may contact Dr. Lynn Douglas Mouden,
DDS, MPH, Director, Office of Oral Health, at (501) 661-2595.
