Removing fluoride from U.S. public water systems would increase tooth decay by 7.5% and cost about $9.8 billion over five years, according to a study by the Journal of the American Medical Association Health Forum.
The study examined the cost-effectiveness of eliminating fluoride from water and the resulting oral health outcomes in children.
The ADA, in a news release, said the report validates both the financial and health consequences of ending water fluoridation programs, noting that the hardest-hit populations would be Medicaid beneficiaries.
