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Water fluoridation is good for all
Barbara West’s letter of Aug. 27 was well-intended and her concern for low-income children should be commended. However, she missed the mark on why community water fluoridation is the best strategy to improve the oral health of Davis residents.
The home visitation strategy she recommends as an alternative to water fluoridation would be costly and many families would not welcome a visitor into their homes on a regular basis to evaluate their child’s fluoride use. Additionally, her solution would only focus on low income kids — a small segment of the population who would otherwise benefit from water fluoridation.
Families, regardless of income, have challenges in ensuring that their children use fluoride on a daily basis. Local dentists see many kids from mid- and upper-income-level families who also require fillings, caps and extractions.
And, while children’s dental health is of concern, so is that of all Davis residents, including our seniors. Community water fluoridation could improve dental outcomes for the entire city.
Julie Gallelo
Executive director, First 5 Yolo
Katie Villegas
Executive director, Yolo County Children’s Alliance
Don Saylor
Chair, First 5 Yolo and Yolo County Children’s Alliance
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