My Water's Fluoride

At a glance

My Water's Fluoride provides communities with information on one way to prevent cavities. Preventing cavities helps avoid dental costs and taking time away from work and school.

A logo for the My Water's Fluoride web application that shows a drinking water pipe with a droplet of water. Inside the droplet of water is an image of a healthy tooth.

Overview

Local water utilities are the best source of information on fluoride levels in your water. All water utilities must provide customers with an annual Consumer Confidence Report on water quality, including fluoride levels. Some water utilities share fluoride data with CDC, as displayed in My Water's Fluoride (MWF).

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends a fluoride level of 0.7 milligrams per liter (mg/L) of drinking water to prevent tooth decay and promote good oral health. Speak to your dental and medical providers for advice if your water's fluoride level is either below or above the recommendation.

Community water fluoridation is a practical, cost-effective, and equitable way for communities to improve oral health regardless of age, education, or income by preventing cavities.1 This results in less mouth pain, fewer fillings or teeth pulled, and fewer missed days of work and school.

Access My Water's Fluoride‎

See if your local water system shares fluoride data with CDC in My Water's Fluoride.

How information is collected

States share information about water utilities and fluoridation in several ways, such as a state website. Some states voluntarily partner with the CDC Division of Oral Health to display public information about water utility fluoridation. States that participate share their information with CDC through the Water Fluoridation Reporting System. Only the most recent information from states is displayed in MWF and is not considered to be real-time information.

MWF may reflect a target value that a water utility adjusts towards instead of actual fluoride levels. Some changes in fluoride levels can be expected during typical operations and are not as meaningful as whether your water utility is adjusting towards the recommended level.

Resources

The suggested citation for this application is:

Division of Oral Health: My Water's Fluoride web application. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Atlanta, GA, 2016. Available at https://www.cdc.gov/oral-health.

Print
Content Source:
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP); Division of Oral Health
  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Achievements in Public Health, 1900-1999: Fluoridation of Drinking Water to Prevent Dental Caries. JAMA. 2000;283(10):1283–1286. doi:10.1001/jama.283.6.735