Text Alternative for “Fluoride Fast Facts” Infographic

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

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.

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

Today, the majority (63%) 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.

Image of two teeth side by side show high tooth decay in U.S. School children in 1940s compared to lower tooth decay in U.S. Schoolchildren in 2014.

Image of two teeth side by side show complete tooth loss in U.S. adults ages 65 to 74 is higher in 1960 to 1962 compared to 2017 to 2019.

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:

Last Reviewed
February 2025