Water Fluoridation: FSA Eligibility

Eligible expenses for Limited FSAs can vary. To find out exactly what your Limited FSA covers, contact your FSA administrator.

What is water fluoridation?

Water fluoridation involves the addition of fluoride to a water supply to reduce tooth decay by strengthening the tooth enamel. It operates on the mouth and tooth surfaces by creating low levels of fluoride in the saliva, which reduces the rate at which tooth enamel demineralizes and increases the rate at which it remineralizes in the early stages of cavities. The revenue ruling on fluoridation goes back to a time before public water was fluorided and deals with installing a fluoridation system in the home.

How does water fluoridation work?

Fluoride exists naturally in virtually all water supplies, but water is "fluoridated" when a public water system adjusts the fluoride to a level known to prevent tooth decay. Drinking fluoridated water throughout the day can also help to bathe our teeth in low levels of fluoride to help them stay strong. It is a safe, effective, and affordable way to prevent tooth decay.

Is water fluoridation effective?

Decades of research have proven water fluoridation to reduce cavities in children, while efficacy in adults is less apparent. Nine studies analyzed in the Journal of Dental Research to estimate water fluoridation's impact on adult teeth concluded that fluoridation reduced decay by 27%. Some people may question the value of fluoridating water at a time when fluoride toothpaste is widely used and children can get fluoride treatments from dentists. However, research has demonstrated the crucial, added protection against tooth decay that fluoridated water provides. Furthermore, water fluoridation helps people save money by reducing the need for fillings and other dental treatment (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).

Are there any dangers associated with water fluoridation?

Every major health organization in America has concluded that water fluoridation is safe, effective and necessary. There is no link between fluoride and bone cancer. Although fluoridation can cause dental fluorosis, which can alter the appearance of developing teeth or enamel fluorosis, the differences are mild, leaving only faint white marking on teeth and does not cause pain. There is no clear evidence of other adverse effects from water fluoridation.