Opponents of fluoridation talk about choice. What about the choices being ignored in this equation?
They don’t mention the families who must choose between getting their child’s painful cavity filled, and paying for groceries or rent that month. A single filling can cost between $100 to $350, even with insurance.
Add to that the choice of whether to miss a shift at work to take a child to the dentist, and the cost of those choices can add up in a hurry.
Low-income children in Durango don’t get to choose whether their parents can afford dental care for them or not. They don’t get to choose whether their family has insurance, or whether a dentist’s office accepts it.
As voters, we do get to choose whether to protect one of the only guaranteed dental protections these kids have. Fluoridation is a safe, proven, and cost effective way to protect the health of our most vulnerable citizens.
I urge all Durango voters to support continued fluoridation, and vote against the ordinance proposed in Question 1A.
Melissa May
Durango
