Community water fluoridation began in the 1940s. Since then the number of community water systems and the number of people served by fluoridated systems have been steadily increasing. Currently about two-thirds of the U.S. population receives fluoride through their community water system. This has been an important factor in the steady decrease in tooth decay rates.
Ranked by State
| Location |
Percent |
State Rank |
| United States |
65.8 |
|
| DC |
100.0 |
|
| Kentucky |
99.6 |
1 |
| Illinois |
99.1 |
2 |
| Minnesota |
98.4 |
3 |
| Tennessee |
96.0 |
4 |
| North Dakota |
95.6 |
5 |
| Indiana |
95.5 |
6 |
| Virginia |
93.8 |
7 |
| Maryland |
93.7 |
8 |
| Georgia |
93.0 |
9 |
| West Virginia |
91.5 |
10 |
| South Carolina |
91.4 |
11 |
| Iowa |
91.3 |
11 |
| Ohio |
90.6 |
13 |
| Wisconsin |
89.4 |
14 |
| Rhode Island |
89.2 |
15 |
| Connecticut |
87.6 |
16 |
| Michigan |
86.2 |
17 |
| North Carolina |
84.6 |
18 |
| Alabama |
82.0 |
19 |
| Delaware |
80.9 |
20 |
| Missouri |
80.9 |
21 |
| South Dakota |
78.0 |
22 |
| New Mexico |
76.6 |
23 |
| Colorado |
75.4 |
24 |
| Oklahoma |
74.6 |
25 |
| Maine |
74.4 |
26 |
| New York |
72.9 |
27 |
| Nebraska |
69.5 |
28 |
| Nevada |
69.4 |
29 |
| Florida |
67.4 |
30 |
| Texas |
65.7 |
31 |
| Arkansas |
62.1 |
32 |
| Kansas |
62.1 |
33 |
| Massachusetts |
60.7 |
34 |
| Washington |
58.9 |
35 |
| Alaska |
57.3 |
36 |
| Vermont |
55.7 |
37 |
| Arizona |
55.4 |
38 |
| Pennsylvania |
54.0 |
38 |
| Idaho |
47.5 |
40 |
| Mississippi |
46.1 |
41 |
| Louisiana |
45.9 |
42 |
| New Hampshire |
42.7 |
43 |
| Wyoming |
36.7 |
44 |
| California |
27.6 |
45 |
| Montana |
23.8 |
46 |
| New Jersey |
20.8 |
47 |
| Oregon |
19.4 |
48 |
| Hawaii |
8.6 |
49 |
| Utah |
2.2 |
50 |
Alphabetical by State
| Location |
Percent |
State Rank |
| United States |
65.8 |
|
| Alabama |
82.0 |
19 |
| Alaska |
57.3 |
36 |
| Arizona |
55.4 |
38 |
| Arkansas |
62.1 |
32 |
| California |
27.6 |
45 |
| Colorado |
75.4 |
24 |
| Connecticut |
87.6 |
16 |
| DC |
100.0 |
|
| Delaware |
80.9 |
20 |
| Florida |
67.4 |
30 |
| Georgia |
93.0 |
9 |
| Hawaii |
8.6 |
49 |
| Idaho |
47.5 |
40 |
| Illinois |
99.1 |
2 |
| Indiana |
95.5 |
6 |
| Iowa |
91.3 |
11 |
| Kansas |
62.1 |
33 |
| Kentucky |
99.6 |
1 |
| Louisiana |
45.9 |
42 |
| Maine |
74.4 |
26 |
| Maryland |
93.7 |
8 |
| Massachusetts |
60.7 |
34 |
| Michigan |
86.2 |
17 |
| Minnesota |
98.4 |
3 |
| Mississippi |
46.1 |
41 |
| Missouri |
80.9 |
21 |
| Montana |
23.8 |
46 |
| Nebraska |
69.5 |
28 |
| Nevada |
69.4 |
29 |
| New Hampshire |
42.7 |
43 |
| New Jersey |
20.8 |
47 |
| New Mexico |
76.6 |
23 |
| New York |
72.9 |
27 |
| North Carolina |
84.6 |
18 |
| North Dakota |
95.6 |
5 |
| Ohio |
90.6 |
13 |
| Oklahoma |
74.6 |
25 |
| Oregon |
19.4 |
48 |
| Pennsylvania |
54.0 |
38 |
| Rhode Island |
89.2 |
15 |
| South Carolina |
91.4 |
11 |
| South Dakota |
78.0 |
22 |
| Tennessee |
96.0 |
4 |
| Texas |
65.7 |
31 |
| Utah |
2.2 |
50 |
| Vermont |
55.7 |
37 |
| Virginia |
93.8 |
7 |
| Washington |
58.9 |
35 |
| West Virginia |
91.5 |
10 |
| Wisconsin |
89.4 |
14 |
| Wyoming |
36.7 |
44 |
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2002 Water Fluoridation Reporting System (WFRS)