USA - Harrisburg Considers Fluoride In Water

...................Mr. Barrar, in a phone interview yesterday, said he hoped to have the bill ready for passage by December. He said he was positive he had the votes to secure passage, though he expressed some concern that other lawmakers would try and weaken the bill before passage.
"I think it's good public health policy," he said. "The state is picking up more and more of the cost of dental care for low-income children, so there's immediate savings there."
Those potential savings are huge. It costs only 50 cents to $3 per person annually to fluoridate water supplies. Every dollar invested, Mr. Pugliese said, saves $38 in dental care. The association is supporting the bill even though it is likely to decrease dental business.
"Our first mission is to make sure everybody has the best oral health care they can have," he said. "This'll do wonders in reducing decay."
Fluoride is said to strengthen tooth enamel, making it harder and more resistant to acids that cause decay. About half of state residents get fluoridated water. In Philadelphia, fluoride is added to the water supply to reach a level recommended by the American Dental Association, the city's Water Department says..................