132 l © 2025 American Dental Association
Fluoride
F A S T F A C T S
Fluoride is a natural substance that is found
in rocks, soil, and water. It prevents tooth
decay in children and adults.
Fluoride helps keep teeth healthy by:
• Stopping the growth of bacteria
that cause cavities
• Strengthening tooth enamel
• Reversing early tooth decay by
replacing and preventing the loss
of minerals that make teeth healthy
You can get fluoride by:
• Drinking local tap water that has
fluoride in it
• Using fluoride toothpaste/
mouth rinse
• Getting varnish/gel at the dentist’s office
• Taking a dietary supplement
The U.S. Public Health Service
recommends 0.7 parts per million of
fluoride in drinking water, or about
3 drops of fluoride in a 55-gallon
barrel, to prevent tooth decay.
Today, the majority of the
U.S. population receives
fluoridated water.*
*Decisions about water fluoridation are made at the state or local level.
After adding fluoride to the
community water supply, tooth
decay decreased in both children
and adults, and complete tooth
loss in older adults became
much less common.
1940s 2014 1960-62 2017-19
Tooth Decay
in U.S. Schoolchildren
Complete Tooth Loss in
U.S. Adults Ages 65-74
At about age 2 (or sooner
if a dentist or doctor
suggests it), brush your
child’s teeth with a tiny
amount of fluoride
toothpaste.
For children aged 3 to 6, parents
should put the toothpaste on the
brush. Use only a pea-sized amount
of fluoride toothpaste. Encourage
your child to spit out the toothpaste
rather than swallow it.
Additional resources
73%