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Years without fluoridated water in N.B. show pattern of tooth decay experts warned about
Kelly Keyes operates a busy dental practice in Saint John, having treated patients of all ages for three decades, but a decline in the oral health of her younger patients is a growing concern.
Those patients sometimes require treatment in hospital, which comes after a lengthy waiting period, adding to the overall strain on the health-care system, she said.
Keyes said the great equalizer in oral health care was the addition of fluoride in the city's drinking water in the 1980s, protecting developing teeth from decay by strengthening enamel and suppressing plaque bacteria.
More than a decade after Saint John stopped fluoridating its water, dentists are seeing a surge in tooth decay.
But as the Port City's financial health came under increasing pressure, councillors looking for easy savings decided to cut the fluoridation program. The move saved taxpayers $177,000 annually but may have cost its residents much more in dental health.
Dentists and physicians in the city fought against the removal of fluoride from the water supply but failed to stop it. And in the 12 years since its removal, Keyes said, the city's most vulnerable have paid the price.
"We see a lot of kids under the age of four who have rampant decay," she said. "We're fooling ourselves thinking that the status quo is good for kids or that it's good for the community in general."
Keyes said the effects on children can be devastating, with interruptions in their schooling due to toothaches, with decay and extractions robbing children of their self-esteem at a young age.
Those problems can continue into adulthood, she said, with poor dental health leading to heart disease and further pain and suffering.
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