Officials from Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C., are committed to their stance supporting water fluoridation, according to a Dec. 2 report from CBS affiliate WUSA 9.
Here are five things to know:
1. Public health authorities in Maryland and Virginia have highlighted the benefits of fluoridated water in reducing dental decay by as much as 30%.
2. More than 96% of Virginia residents served by public water systems received fluoridated water, according to the Virginia Department of Health.
3. According to a report from the Maryland Health Department, more than 94% of Maryland residents are on fluoridated water systems.
4. Residents of Washington, D.C., are also receiving fluoridated water through the Washington Aqueduct.
5. Debates on water fluoridation have increased this year due to a few factors, including a report by the National Toxicology Program in August and the claim by Robert Kennedy Jr., President-elect Donald Trump's pick for secretary of Health and Human Services, that Mr. Trump would aim to remove fluoride from public water sources once he is in office.