Flouridation :: essays research papers fc

FlouridationIn 1931 at the University of Arizona Agricultural Experiment Station M. C.Smith, E. M. Lantz, and H. V. Smith observed that when given drinking peeingsupplied with farad, rats would develop tooth defects. Further testing by H.T. Dean and E. Elove of the United States earth Health Service confirmed thisreport, and stated that what is know as mottled tooth. Mottled tooth is acondition in which white spots develop on the back teeth. Gradually the whitespots number darker and darker until the tooth is eroded completely. This wasbelieved to be caused by degree Fahrenheit in drinking water (Behrman pg. 181).A strong uproar was heard when this was released and people wanted allfluorine out of their water. But later tests concluded that communities withhigh levels of fluorine in their drinking water suffered less dental cavities.Further testing concluded that at least 1.0 move per million of fluorine couldhelp to prevent cavities, but more than 1.5 PPM would cause mottle d tooth, sobasically a little fluorine would be okay but a lot of fluorine would be bad(Behrman 182). In 1938, with this information, Dr. Gerald coxswain of the Mellon Institutebegan to promote the addition of fluoride to public water systems, claiming thatit would reduce tooth decay, however there were two major obstacles in his path,The American Medical Association, and The American Dental Association. Bothassociations wrote articles in their journals about the dangers of fluoridationof water supplies. The American Dental Association wrote the following in theOctober 1, 1944 issue We do know the use of drinking water containing aslittle as 1.2 to 3.0 parts per million of fluorine will cause such developmentaldisturbances in bones as osteoslcerosis, spondylosis and osteoperosis, as wellas goiter, and we cannot afford to run the pretend of producing such serioussystemic disturbances in applying what is at present a doubtful procedureintended to prevent development of dental disfigu rements among children.(Yiamouyiannis pg. 138)Despite these warnings Dr. Cox continued to promote fluoridation ofwater supplies and even convinced a Wisconsin dentist, J. J. Frisch to promotethe addition of fluoride to water supplies in his book, The Fight ForFluoridation. Frisch soon garnered the support of brusk Bull. Frank Bullorganized political campaigns in order to persuade local officials to endorsefluoridation. This began to apply heavy pressure on the United States PublicHealth Service and the American Dental Association. (Yiamouyiannis pg. 139)In 1945 before any tests had been proven to show that fluoride reducedcavities, it was added to the drinking water supply of Grand Rapids, Michigan.