St. Joseph, Benton Township and seven other communities in Michigan’s Great Southwest have been nationally recognized today with a Water Fluoridation Quality Award from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention — the CDC. That word came down today from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS).
The award recognizes those communities that maintained a consistent level of optimally fluoridated water throughout 2019. A total of 1,523 water systems in 29 states received the award including the following systems in Southwest Michigan:
- Bangor
- Benton Township
- Bridgman
- Buchanan
- Dowagiac
- Hartford
- New Buffalo
- Niles
- St. Joseph
Fluoridation is the adjustment of fluoride in the water to a level that is optimal for preventing tooth decay. It has been recognized by CDC as one of 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century. CDC recommends water fluoridation as a safe, effective and inexpensive method of preventing decay. In fact, the CDC says that every $1 invested in fluoridation saves at least $38 in costs for dental treatment.
Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, Chief Medical Executive and Chief Deputy for Health for MDHHS, says, “Michigan consistently exceeds the CDC recommendations for community water supplies by having 90-percent of our population on community water systems accessing fluoridated water and this year, we had a 26-percent increase in the number of award recipients.” She adds, “These awards demonstrate the commitment to quality by these community water systems. Water fluoridation has demonstrated its effectiveness in preventing tooth decay throughout one’s lifetime and benefits all residents.”
For more information about community water fluoridation, you can visit the CDC website.
