Question: European countries have rejected fluoridation, so why should we fluoridate water?

Answer: Europe has used a variety of programs to provide fluoride’s benefits to the public. Water fluoridation is one of these programs.

Fluoridated water reaches 12 million Europeans, mostly residents of Great Britain, Ireland and Spain. Fluoridated milk programs reach millions of additional Europeans, mostly in Eastern Europe.

Salt fluoridation is the most widely used approach in Europe. In fact, at least 70 million Europeans consume fluoridated salt, and this method of fluoridation reaches most of the population in Germany and Switzerland. These two countries have among the lowest rates of tooth decay in all of Europe.

Technical challenges are a major reason why fluoridated water isn’t widespread in Europe. In France and Switzerland, for example, water fluoridation is logistically difficult because of the terrain and because there are tens of thousands of separate sources for drinking water. This is why Western Europe relies more on salt fluoridation, fluoride rinse programs and other means to get fluoride to the public.

Source: The American Dental Association Fluoride Facts and