U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for January 25

WASHINGTON, Jan. 25, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110428/DC91889LOGO)

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25: FLUORIDATED WATER

Profile America — Wednesday, January 25th.  On this date in 1945, Grand Rapids, Michigan became the first U.S. city to treat its water supply with fluoride.  Now, two-thirds of Americans live in areas where the water is fluoridated.  The American Dental Association credits the fluoridation of drinking water with a dramatic decrease in tooth decay.  And the U.S. Centers for Disease Control listed the practice as one of the 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century.  But even after six decades, the practice still has its critics, who claim that its benefits are exaggerated and its toxicity underplayed.  There are 175,000 dentists across the U.S.  Taking care of their dental health costs Americans an average of $217 a year.  You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at www.census.gov.

Sources: Kane's Famous First Facts, 2236
National Institute of Dental & Craniofacial Research
Statistical Abstract of the United States 2012, t. 616, 137

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for "Multimedia Gallery" by the "Newsroom" button). 

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau