CDPH Issues Statement on Community Water Fluoridation

April 1, 2025
NR25-007

What You Need to Know: The California Department of Public Health issued a joint statement in support of community water fluoridation as a safe and effective way to support human health and prevent tooth decay in children and adults.
Sacramento – Today, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued the following joint statement on community water fluoridation from CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer, Dr. Erica Pan, MD, MPH and CDPH State Dental Director, Dr. Shakalpi Pendurkar, DDS, MPH.

“The California Department of Public Health supports optimal levels of fluoride in drinking water as a safe, effective and cost-saving public health intervention to improve the health and well-being of California's diverse people and communities. Community water fluoridation is the single most cost-effective, equitable, and safe public health measure to prevent tooth decay and improve oral health. One of the biggest benefits of water fluoridation is that it helps everyone in the community and especially those without access to regular dental care. Optimal levels of fluoride in water are effective in preventing tooth decay throughout life, resulting in fewer and less severe cavities. Furthermore, water fluoridation has been endorsed by every major health organization in the United States and many other countries, as well as every Surgeon General for the past 50 years.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has named community water fluoridation as one of 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century. Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that effectively prevents and protects teeth from tooth decay. Fluoride stops or can even reverse the tooth decay process, keeping tooth enamel strong for both children and adults. All drinking water naturally contains some fluoride. Community water fluoridation is the process of adjusting the naturally occurring fluoride level to the optimum level for preventing tooth decay.

For more information on water fluoridation, please visit CDPH’s Office of Oral Health’s Fluoridation