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| Healthy Teeth For Life |
Many children in Washington suffer from dental pain caused by disease and decay. These children have limited access to preventive dental care, and may not even have access to restorative care (filling teeth, extracting decayed teeth). Dental decay is one of the most often cited reasons for missed days of school, and impacts our community's most vulnerable. For this reason, Dr. Travis Coulter and Dr. Elizabeth van den Hoven at Coulter Family Dentistry in Spokane Valley, WA join the ADA and Washington State Dental Association to support water fluoridation to prevent dental disease.
Fluoride is nature's cavity fighter, occurring naturally in the earth's crust, in combination with other minerals in rocks and soil. Small amounts of fluoride occur naturally in all water sources, and varying amounts of the mineral are found in all foods and beverages. Water fluoridation is the process of adjusting the natural level of fluoride to a concentration sufficient to protect against tooth decay. Flouride minerals bind to enamel to strengthen the structure of the tooth, and this can be key for children as their teeth develop.
