Kansas Water Fluoride: Updated Statistics

Water fluoridation has been a topic of interest and debate in Kansas for many years. The state has seen varying levels of access to fluoridated water across its population, with local communities making their own decisions on whether to fluoridate their water supply. Let’s take a closer look at the current state of water fluoridation in Kansas and how it compares to national trends.

Here are a few key statistics that highlight the current situation in Kansas:

• As of 2018, 65.1% of Kansas’s population served by public water systems had access to fluoridated water.
• Kansas’s 2018 figure of 65.1% is below the national average of 73.0% of the U.S. population on community water systems receiving fluoridated water.
• There are 60 public water systems in Kansas that fluoridate, with many of these systems reporting fluoride monitoring results below the recommended optimal level.

Access to Fluoridated Water in Kansas

The percentage of Kansas’s population with access to fluoridated water has seen gradual changes over the years.

• In 1992, 58.4% of the population had access to fluoridated water.
• This increased to 62.5% in 2000 and further to 65.1% in 2006.
• However, there was a slight decrease to 63.6% in 2012, before increasing back to 65.1% in 2018.

Kansas Compared to National Averages

When comparing Kansas’s fluoridation coverage to national figures, it becomes clear that the state falls below average.

• Nationally, 73.0% of the U.S. population on community water systems received fluoridated water in 2018.
• Kansas’s 2018 figure of 65.1% is notably lower than this national average.
• The Healthy People 2030 objective aims for 77.1% of people served by community water systems to receive water with the optimum level of fluoride, a target that Kansas has yet to reach.

Local Control Over Fluoridation Decisions

Fluoridation is not mandatory in the State of Kansas; instead, it is a decision to be made by each community and water district.

• This decentralized approach allows for local control over fluoridation policies.
• Kansas has seen communities actively deciding on fluoridation. For example, Wichita, the largest city in Kansas, rejected fluoridation in a November 2012 vote.
• Other communities like Hutchinson and Harper have also made decisions against fluoridation in past years.

As of the latest data, there are 60 public water systems in Kansas that fluoridate, with many of these systems reporting fluoride monitoring results below the recommended optimal level. This reflects the varied coverage across the state due to local decision-making.

In conclusion, Kansas’s water fluoridation coverage is below the national average, with about 65% of its population served by public water systems having access to fluoridated water. The state’s decentralized approach to fluoridation decisions has led to varied coverage across communities, with some opting out of fluoridation altogether. As the benefits of water fluoridation for dental health continue to be recognized, it remains to be seen how Kansas’s fluoridation landscape will evolve in the coming years.