CDA leads efforts to keep fluoride off Prop 65 list
Representatives of the California Dental Association, CDA Foundation, and California Statewide Fluoridation Advisory Council attended a hearing of the California Office of Environment Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), Carcinogen Identification Committee (CIC) on Oct. 12, which reviewed fluoride and its salts.
CDA and its partners applaud the committee’s determination that fluoride should not be listed under Proposition 65 as a chemical known to cause cancer. The committee carefully reviewed all of the scientific research available on fluoride and its salts and determined that the evidence fails to show that fluoride is linked to cancer.
CDA strongly supports the use of fluorides in professional dental office applications, over-the-counter consumer products, and community water fluoridation as important components for preventing dental disease. Today’s OEHHA decision affirms the continued use of fluoride as a safe and effective oral health preventive measure.
OEHHA is the lead agency for the implementation of the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, and periodically screens candidate chemicals for inclusion in the Proposition 65 list of chemicals. Fluoride was identified, along with 37 other compounds, from a total of 80, principally because of “its important widespread use.”
Despite the claims of a small number of activists, the use of fluorides are safe and effective. Backed by a 65-year record of practical experience and scholarly research, community water fluoridation has won the endorsement of more than 100 national and international health organizations, from the American Academy of Pediatrics to the World Health Organization. Studies show overwhelmingly that the use of fluorides can reduce the amount of dental decay by as much as 60 percent.
CDA is firmly committed to the use of fluorides to prevent tooth decay, and commends health professionals and local communities that are taking steps to protect the oral health of their residents. The public deserves to have confidence that fluoride is safe and effective.