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Missouri is ranked 26th in the Nation!

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released the 2020 water fluoridation statistics, measuring the number of people on public water systems who benefit from fluoridated drinking water. Approximately 5.2 million Missourians rely on community water systems, but only 76.4 percent of them benefit from optimally fluoridated water. This means that over 1 million people who could be served by fluoride are not receiving this preventive public health intervention.

According to the CDC, “Water fluoridation prevents tooth decay mainly by providing teeth with frequent contact with low levels of fluoride throughout each day and throughout life. Even today, with other available sources of fluoride, studies show that water fluoridation reduces tooth decay by about 25 percent over a person's lifetime.”

The positive effects of fluoride—preventing and reversing tooth decay—are especially necessary for populations without regular access to oral health care. Water fluoridation is the single most effective public health measure in use today because of its unique ability to decrease the risk of dental cavities, the most common infectious disease in the world.

The data are compiled biennially from the CDC's Water Fluoridation Reporting System (WFRS). States use the database to ensure the quality of their water fluoridation systems.

To see the CDC's State Fluoridation Percentage Calculations and States Ranked by Fluoridation Percentage click here.