Fluoridation
Definition
Fluoridation is the addition of fluoride to water supplies to help prevent tooth decay.
Description
The element fluorine is the seventeenth most abundant element in the earth's crust. It occurs as fluoride ion in combination with other elements such as sodium. Most water supplies naturally contain low levels of fluoride. In much of the United States, as well as in other parts of the world, fluoride is added to community water systems to bring fluoride levels up to the recommended amount for preventing teeth decay: 0.7–1.2 parts of fluoride to 1 million parts of water (parts per million or ppm). The levels of naturally occurring fluoride in fresh water range from less than 0.1 ppm to more than 13 ppm....
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