|
History
Of
Fluoridation
- From
1901
to
1933,
fluoride,
already
a
naturally
occurring
substance
in
water,
was
studied
thoroughly,
and
it
was
determined
to
be
safe
and
to
have
the
ability
to
protect
teeth
enamel
against
decay,
especially
in
children.
-
From
1933
to
1945,
scientists
further
confirmed
the
efficacy
of
fluoride
as
a
safe
and
effective
method
of
protection
against
dental
caries.
It
was
concluded
that
the
optimal
decay-preventive
level
of
fluoride
in
water
was
about
one
part
per
million.
Further
studies
of
other
factors,
including
climate,
put
the
effective
range
of
levels
at
between
0.7
and
1.2
parts
per
million.
-
On
Jan.
25,
1945,
Grand
Rapids,
Michigan
became
the
first
American
city
to
fluoridate
its
water.
-
From
1945
to
1954,
other
American
communities
began
fluoridating
their
water
supplies.
Tests
were
conducted
on
residents
in
fluoridated
Grand
Rapids
and
in
non-fluoridated
Muskegon,
Michigan
along
with
other
communities
with
and
without
fluoridation.
The
results
were
astonishing:
residents
who
had
the
benefit
of
fluoridation
had
far
fewer
cavities
or
dental
problems.
The
early
data
was
so
impressive
that
many
other
cities
began
fluoridating
even
before
test
results
were
completed.
-
From
1950
to
today,
fluoridation
has
increased
to
about
10,000
American
communities,
protecting
about
145
million
people
in
the
United
States,
and
been
endorsed
by
every
major
scientific,
dental,
medical,
and
professional
health
care
organization,
including
the
American
Dental
Association,
the
American
Medical
Association,
the
World
Health
Organization,
and
the
U.S.
Public
Health
Service.
-
In
1951,
fluoridation
began
in
Danvers,
Middleton,
and
Templeton
in
Massachusetts,
followed
quickly
by
Athol,
Beverly,
Salem,
and
Seekonk
in
1952
and
Hingham,
Hull,
Medway,
Sharon,
Shrewsbury,
and
Topsfield
in
1953.
Since
then,
fluoridation
has
been
added
to
108
other
cities
and
towns
in
Massachusetts
-
for
a
total
of
121
communities
in
the
state
receiving
water
fluoridation
-
protecting
3.5
million
people
who
live
in
those
areas.
-
The
Republic
of
Ireland
passed
legislation
requiring
national
fluoridation
in
the
early
1960s.
Internationally,
water
fluoridation
protects
more
than
300
million
people
in
40
countries.
-
For
more
than
50
years,
fluoridation
has
proven
to
be
a
safe
and
effective
method
of
preventing
cavities
at
a
minimal
cost.
It
has
reduced
the
number
of
cavities
in
children
as
much
as
60
percent,
and
in
adults
as
much
as
35
percent.
-
In
1989,
the
Centers
for
Disease
Control
and
Prevention
set
a
goal
that
at
least
75
percent
of
the
country's
population
have
fluoridation
in
community
water
supplies
by
the
year
2000
as
part
of
its
Healthy
People
2000
plan.
The
current
level
is
62.1
percent.
-
In
1992,
the
American
Association
of
Public
Health
Dentistry
reaffirmed
its
unqualified
support
of
fluoridation
in
the
midst
of
growing
opposition
from
zealous
groups
using
far-fetched
platforms
including
individual
rights,
freedom
of
choice,
anti-pollution,
all-natural
diets
and
cancer
fears.
None
of
these
allegations
dealing
with
medical
questions
has
ever
proved
to
be
true.
-
In
1999,
the
Centers
for
Disease
Control
and
Prevention
listed
community
water
fluoridation
as
one
of
the
10
great
public
health
achievements
of
the
20th
century.
 History
of
Fluoridation
(PDF)
To
view
the
PDF
files
below
you
will
need
Adobe
Acrobat
Reader
software
on
your
system.
Get
it
now
at
no
cost
from
Adobe
by
clicking
on
the
icon
below.
|
|
|
|
|
 Facts
Main Page
Fluoride
Facts
The
Safety and
Benefits
Of Community
Water Fluoridation
History
Of Fluoridation
Fluoride
Myths Versus
Facts
Facts
about fluoride
supplements
|
