When it comes to matters of tooth decay and water fluoridation, who is better qualified to give credible answers to our questions than dentists with over forty years of professional experience. Dr. Jerry Davis, of Greenwood, Indiana and Goodyear, Arizona and Dr. George Kopko, formerly of Bargersville, IN, are regular readers of DrGOpines.com and were kind enough to share their opinions on community water fluoridation.
Like me, Dr. Davis didn’t completely agree with the conclusions of the article used as a reference. The message from the article was that a fluoridated water supply only slightly increases the proportion of caries-free children and really had only a small impact on their primary, deciduous (they fall out) teeth. It also said Fluoride’s impact on permanent teeth “remains unclear.” Permanent teeth are not as significantly impacted, and studies report low-certainty evidence the decrease in tooth decay is not statistically significant. Also, fluoride toothpaste does not eliminate the need for fluoridation of the drinking water.
Dr. Davis responded “the primary benefit of fluoride was thought to be on [the main chemical] in the matrix within the enamel of the teeth.” It was incorporated into the development of both the primary and permanent teeth. “Although it did not make the enamel impervious to decay, it was shown to make the enamel matrix more resistant to decay.” He said patients who practiced “good oral hygiene, proper diet, and [who made] frequent visits to the dentist” were helping themselves and future generations to be much less likely to have rampant tooth decay. So his impression, like mine, was community water fluoridation does have benefits that cannot be minimized or dismissed.
Dr. Kopko practiced 42 years in Bargersville, IN. He was “distressed” to learn of the movement to eliminate fluoride from public water supply’s. He said that “systemic fluoride will strengthen both deciduous and permanent dentitions (teeth) and make them less susceptible to decay from acid demineralization….Nothing will totally eliminate tooth decay…but in my 42 years of practice, there has definitely been a decrease in decayed, missing, and filled teeth in children and adults. It became unusual to find significant decay in children. And if there was decay, it was usually due to poor diet or hygiene.”
“Fractured teeth become more common as we get older because over time our teeth dehydrate making them more brittle and prone to fracture. Fluoride will not prevent that….In my opinion, water fluoridation has stood the test of time. To eliminate it now would undo 80 years of progress”
That has been the belief of millions since the 1950’s, and it is my continued belief today. It is reassuring to hear two professionals, each with 40+ years of experience, agree that fluoridated water has positively impacted the dental health of Americans in most of the country and should remain in the public water supply.
References: Email comments by Jerry Davis DDS, October 9, 2025.
Email comments by George Kopko DDS, October 11, 2025.
Jiang D, Qui J. Water Fluoridation for Dental Caries Prevention Am Fam Phys 2025 Aug;112(2):129-130.
