Fifty Iowa communities received the CDC’s Water Fluoridation Quality Award for maintaining fluoridation levels in public water systems, the Iowa Department of Public Health announced on Nov. 20. Of these, Muscatine Power and Water, Northwood Water Works, and Waterloo Water Works received the 50 Year Award for maintaining continuous community water fluoridation from 1966-2016.

Oskaloosa Municipal Water Department received the Water Fluoridation Community Initiative Award for starting a water fluoridation program in 2016.

The State Hygienic Laboratory helps 13 of these communities maintain these benefits by testing for fluoride levels in drinking water.

Fluoride has been proven to protect teeth from decay, the CDC reports on its website. Bacteria in the mouth produce acid when a person eats sugary foods. This acid eats away minerals from the tooth’s surface, making the tooth weaker and increasing the chance of developing cavities. Fluoride helps to rebuild and strengthen the tooth’s surface, or enamel. Water fluoridation prevents tooth decay by providing frequent and consistent contact with low levels of fluoride. By keeping the tooth strong and solid, fluoride stops cavities from forming and can even rebuild the tooth’s surface.

The mineral fluoride occurs naturally and is released from rocks into the soil, water and air. All water contains some fluoride. Although the fluoride level in water is not usually enough to prevent tooth decay, some groundwater and springs can have naturally high levels of fluoride.

The CDC provides additional information about Community Water Fluoridation on its website.