Fluoride in the water supply was thought to be very beneficial to the reduction of dental caries (cavities) in the 1950s at least. My dad was a dentist on various public/dental health committees/boards at that time, and was a fluoride advocate who encouraged its addition to the water in our community. I think the addition of fluoride to the water did seem to result in dramatic decreases in dental cavities, so much so that many dentists who specialized in general dentistry, like my dad, lost considerable business. But my dad was very ethical and put public health and his Oath ahead of business. During this McCarthy Era he was called a communist, maybe other ugly names, for this fluoride advocacy, which seemed based on good science- witnessing the reduction of dental cavities in water with fluoride added. Fluoride I heard was naturally occurring in the water supplies in St Petersburg, Russia and maybe other Communist areas. So, the anti-communist hysteria peddlers concluded that fluoride caused communism! I dont think he, or other fluoride advocates, were aware of detrimental health effects at that time.
Posted on: Sun, 28 Sep 2014 14:12:50 +0000