Fluoride Not Stopping Seattle's Cavity Crisis

Dental Practice Management: "We see a steady stream of patients coming into the emergency department with dental problems, most of which are not true emergencies," Brian Livingston, MD, vice president of medical affairs for Swedish Medical Center's First Hill campus in [fluoridated] Seattle, told the WDSF. "We can try to alleviate the pain, but we aren't dentists. We can't address the underlying problem or provide the vital preventive care that would significantly decrease the number of emergency dental visits."

 Since the 2011 Medicaid cuts, "we have provided much more emergency care," added Sarah Vander Beek, DMD, who treats low-income patients at Neighborcare Health's Rainier Beach Medical and Dental Clinic in South Seattle. "Unfortunately, we are treating dental disease when it's more advanced, complex, and expensive. What could have been a filling is now an extraction."

 “One of the most common calls I get ... comes from seniors who say, ‘I can't get dentures. How am I supposed to eat?’ ”

— Dianne Baum, Washington State
     Health Care Authority

Las Vegas Kids: lots of cavities despite fluoridation

Las Vegas, Nevada is fluoridated:

Wynn Elementary reaches kids' minds, and its health, dental clinic fixes bodies - News - ReviewJournal.com: Time after time, the school nurse refers pain-stricken children to a doctor or dentist but doubts their parents will take them.

"Many times, they don't," said Ellen Bordinhao, principal of Wynn Elementary School in a central Las Vegas neighborhood where 90 percent of students live in poverty and many are uninsured.

Dentist Steve DeLisle sees the proof of neglect in the gaping jaws of young patients.

"I've seen full-mouth decay," he said. "All 20 teeth with cavities."

He fixes all the cavities at once, putting patients under because the hours of drilling would traumatize children, who wouldn't have come to him if it weren't free.

Grand Rapids Dental Needs Great despite fluoridation

Grand Rapids was the first city to add fluoride chemicals into their residents via the water supply to stop tooth decay. Fluoridation began in Grand Rapids in 1945.  Today it's reported that dental needs are great.

   One-day clinic provides free dental care to seniors | MLive.com: “We are looking for more dentist, hygienists and great partners, like the Grand Rapids Community College Dental Clinic, to volunteer their services and expertise for events like this,” Kropiewnicki said. “There is a big need in our community and we are hopeful that volunteers will step up so we can expand these events and serve more seniors.”


Only about 20 percent of dentists accept Medicaid, so it is difficult to find ones accepting new patients, agency officials said.
“This population we are serving at Senior Dental Day often has complex dental issues due to the fact that they haven’t been to a dentist in some time and we needed to be sure they were preforming the necessary care ahead of time,” said event organizer Nancy Kropiewnicki.

Opinion: Pediatric dental health crucial to long-term success | Health Policy Solutions

Opinion: Pediatric dental health crucial to long-term success | Health Policy Solutions 

Colorado is 70% fluoridated. Yet, 60% of low income Kindergartners have tooth decay and   34% of higher income kindergarteners have tooth decay

40% of Singapore preschoolers suffer from severe tooth decay

Singapore is fluoridated - 40% of S'pore preschoolers suffer from severe tooth decay:

SINGAPORE - According to the National Dental Centre Singapore, about 40 per cent of preschool children in Singapore suffer from severe tooth decay.

This is largely caused by a bacterial infection known as Early Childhood Caries, also known as bottle rot, caused by sweetened liquids given and left clinging to an infant's teeth for long periods.