DES MOINES, Iowa—The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced today that 105 Iowa communities have earned 2017 Water Fluoridation Quality awards from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a 110 percent increase from 2016. In addition, two communities (Storm Lake and University of Iowa) received the 50 Year Award for maintaining continuous community water fluoridation from 1967-2017.
The 105 communities include:
Albert City, Algona, Allison, Audubon, Bancroft, Bellevue, Bennett, Boone, Britt, Burlington, Carroll, Cedar Falls, Clarion, Council Bluffs, Cresco, Creston, Decorah, Denison, Des Moines, Dexter, Dubuque, Durant, Eagle Grove, Eddyville, Eldridge, Elk Horn, Emmetsburg, Estherville, Forest City, Fort Madison, Garner, Glenwood, Glidden, Griswold, Guthrie, Hampton, Harlan, Hartley, Hiawatha, Huxley, Ida Grove, Iowa American Water Company (Clinton and Davenport), Iowa City, Iowa Falls, Iowa Lakes, Jefferson, Kalona, Kanawha, Keokuk, Lake Mills, Lamoni, Leon, Madrid, Malvern, Manilla, Manly, Manning, Marshalltown, Mason City, Milford, Minden, Missouri Valley, Mitchellville, Monona, Montezuma, Nevada, Newton, Northwood, Orange City, Osage, Osceola, Oskaloosa, Ottumwa, Paulina, Perry, Postville, Rathbun, Regional, Rock Valley, Schaller, Scranton, Shelby, Sibley, Sioux City, Sloan, Solon, Spencer, Spirit Lake, Stanton, Terril, Tipton, University of Iowa, Ventura, Wapello, Waterloo, Waukon, Waverly, West Central Iowa Rural Water Association (Boyer and Nishnabotna), Wilton, Winterset.
Fluoridation is the adjustment of fluoride in drinking water to a level that is effective for preventing tooth decay. The award recognizes those communities that achieved excellence in community water fluoridation by maintaining a consistent level of fluoride in drinking water throughout 2017.
Community water fluoridation has been recognized by CDC as one of 10 great public health achievements of the 20th Century. Even with the availability of other fluoride-containing products, fluoridated water prevents approximately 25 percent of tooth decay in children and adults.
IDPH supports CDC-approved fluoridation programs. The IDPH Bureau of Oral and Health Delivery Systems monitors the fluoride levels of Iowa communities, and provides information and assistance to water supply professionals, healthcare professionals and the public. To see the fluoridation status of Iowa counties and towns, visit http://bit.ly/2IKbMKN.
(contributed article, IDPH)
