Dentists in Saint John say tooth decay among young children has worsened years after fluoride was removed from the city’s drinking water.
More than a decade after Saint John removed fluoride from its drinking water, local dental professionals say they are seeing the kind of rise in tooth decay that physicians and dentists warned about when the program was cut.
Kelly Keyes, a Saint John dentist who has practised for three decades, said the decline is most visible among younger patients, including children under four with severe decay. Some cases require hospital treatment after long waits, adding pressure to families and the health-care system.
“We see a lot of kids under the age of four who have rampant decay,” Keyes told CBC News. “We're fooling ourselves thinking that the status quo is good for kids or that it's good for the community in general.”
Saint John added fluoride to its water in the 1980s, a public-health measure intended to strengthen tooth enamel and reduce bacteria that contribute to plaque. The city later removed the program amid financial pressure, saving taxpayers $177,000 a year, according to the CBC report.
Dentists and physicians opposed the removal at the time. Keyes said the consequences have fallen hardest on vulnerable residents, with toothaches disrupting school, extractions affecting children’s confidence and dental problems sometimes continuing into adulthood.
New Brunswick is now one of the few provinces where communities do not fluoridate drinking water. Moncton moved away from fluoridation after a 2011 debate and made the removal permanent in 2017. Oromocto was described as the last New Brunswick municipality to fluoridate its water in 2023.
Saint John Mayor Donna Reardon, who was on council when the issue was decided, voted to keep fluoride in the water. She said the question should not rest solely with municipalities, arguing that oral health policy should be led and supported by the provincial government so access does not depend on a community’s finances or infrastructure.
Paul Blanchard, executive director of the New Brunswick Dental Society, said the province lacks current data on fluoride removal and oral health. He pointed to a 2015 national study that found Saint John had the second-highest rate of surgical intervention for cavities among children aged one to four, but said there are few newer measures to show the full picture.
Other Canadian cities have reversed course after removing fluoride. Windsor, Tecumseh and LaSalle in Ontario restored it in 2022 after a health report showed a sharp increase in children with decay or urgent-care needs. Calgary also brought fluoride back after research found children’s dental health worsened following its removal.
The Office of the Chief Dental Officer of Canada updates national fluoridation data every five years. Its latest figures, published in 2022, showed 38.8 per cent of Canadians had fluoridated municipal water, with little to no fluoride in New Brunswick, Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador, Yukon and British Columbia. The next update is scheduled for 2027.
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