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As Yahoo! Health notes, fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that's found in the Earth's crust. In the body, it occurs as calcium fluoride. Since the 1930s, health professionals have conducted studies showing that small amounts of fluoride in public drinking water (around one part per million) have reduced tooth decay in children by as much as 50%, although fluoride's effectiveness and safety have recently been called into question. Excessive amounts of fluoride in drinking water (over 4 parts per million) can have harmful effects. Colgate suggests that parents should monitor
young children's toothbrushing habits (since kids are more likely to swallow toothpaste), and keep any fluoride-supplement tablets in a safe place. As a result of fluoride's toxicity in high doses and alleged links to increased rates of certain diseases, it has naturally become a somewhat controversial topic with regards to public drinking water. This 1999 Salon article covers some of the basic issues. Currently, over 144 million people in the United States receive fluoridated public drinking water. Contact your local water supply district to learn more about the fluoride concentration in your drinking water.
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