Fluoridation seems like a

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Fluoridation seems like a no-brainer

• Helps Americans keep their teeth (reduces
  cavities by up to 40)
• Saves millions in treatment costs and eliminates
  pain and suffering
• Nearly every large city and more than 195 million
  Americans benefit
• Is the most cost-efficient measure we can take to
  preserve oral health

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A standard public health strategy
Fluoridation is one of many public health
strategies used in the U.S.

• Adding iodine to table salt
• Adding Vitamin D to milk
• Adding chlorine to drinking water and swimming
  pools
• Adding folic acid to breads and cereals

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Supported by all major health groups

• American Academy of Pediatrics
• American Dental Association
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• American Academy of Family Physicians
• American Medical Association
• American Academy of Physician Assistants
• U.S. Task Force on Community Preventive Services
• American Association for the Advancement of
  Science
• World Health Organization
• Office of Health Affairs, U.S. Department of
  Defense
• American Academy of Public Health Dentistry

• Institute of Medicine
• American Public Health Association
• National Consumers League
• Council of State Governments
• American Society for Clinical Nutrition
• Florida Department of Elder Affairs
• The Linus Pauling Institute

The CDC has named fluoridation one of 10 great
public health achievements of the 20th century
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Already the norm in most places
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So why not everywhere?
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1. Well-organized opponents
Aggressively Use the Web
Activate a National Network
Spin the Science
Add Credible Partners
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2. We forgot what a difference it made
Support among younger people
Support among older people
Most people support community water fluoridation.
But younger people born after fluoridation was
commonplace are less supportive than their
older counterparts.
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3. How the issue is framed

• Main frame Debate.
• 4 of 5 front-page stories focused on debate over
  fluoridation safety.
• Toxicity, danger and cancer are most frequent
  anti arguments
• One-note pro-argument Fluoridation good for your
  teeth

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4. The impact of the internet
I was looking through the stories trying to
figure out what to read and at the top they had a
headline that added a negative word to it, so I
clicked that instead. (FL respondent.)
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5. People dont feel well informed

• Over half of all respondents said they are only
  somewhat informed when it comes to fluoridation
  issues.

How informed on CWF? Total Sample (n1503)
Very informed 20
Somewhat informed 54
Not at all informed 26
80 not very informed
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and policymakers are no exception
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6. Antis warnings are sticky
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What We Can Do

• Focus on the real issue Our teeth and the
  Americas oral health challenge.
• Inoculate decision-makers
• Remove the element of surprise that makes the
  anti messages sticky.
• Give decision-makers a way to evaluate the
  claims.
• Make support as visible as the minority of antis
• Focus on the larger point Were healthier with
  fluoride than without it.

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Tell the whole story
Safety of the water supply
Our oral health

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How to tell the whole story
Every reputable health authority agrees Without
fluoridation, we are not as healthy as we should
be
Fluoride causes male pattern baldness
Real issue is amount needed
Saves money
Makes teeth last longer
Out-of-context quote from random study or from
no study at all
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Whats our narrative?

• Antis Narrative
• Our country used to believe in fluoridation
• But today we know it is not needed
• It may be responsible for __________.
• Lets be safe and not put anything in the water
• Its worth noting these statements are untrue.

• Possible Pro Narrative
• We discovered the benefits of fluoride by
  accident.                     
•  Now, its benefits have been tested and confirmed
  over 65 years.
• Science debunked its critics.
• Scientists continue to monitor its impact,
  adjusting the optimal level
• Thats why every major health organization still
  agrees Were healthier now with fluoridation
  than without it because life is better with
  teeth.