We Service Arvada, Westminster, Wheat Ridge, Denver, Broomfield, Golden and Summit County

American Dental Association and U.S. Government Fluoride Recommendations

Since 1950, the American Dental Association (ADA), along with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), have continuously endorsed the fluoridation of community water. Therefore, they proclaimed it to be a safe and effective public health measure for its prevention of dental decay.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) commend this public health practice as one of the ten greatest public health achievements of the twentieth century. The government’s current recommendation for water fluoridation concentration was updated on January 2011 to:

  • 0.7 mg/L, or about 0.7 ppm (parts per million).

Recommended fluoride supplement dosage (mg/day)

         FLUORIDE IN DOMESTIC WATER SUPPLY

AGE<0.3 ppm0.3-0.6 ppm>0.6 ppm
Up to 6 monthsNONENONENONE
6 months to 3 years0.25 mg/dayNONENONE
3-6 years0.5 mg/day0.25 mg/dayNONE
6-16 years1.0 mg/day0.5 mg/dayNONE

If your local water system does not provide the recommended amount of fluoride in your tap water, your children can take fluoride supplements.

However, if you live in an area that follows recommendations, to maximize fluoride dosage:

  • A child from six months-3 years would need to drink an entire gallon of tap water every day.
  • A child from 3-6 years old would have to drink two gallons per day.