The water fluoridation controversy arises from political, economic, ethical, moral, and safety concerns regarding the fluoridation of public water supplies. The views of public health dominants on the most effective fluoride therapy for community prevention of tooth decay were very mixed; some state that water fluoridation is most effective for prevention, others see no special advantages and prefer topical utilization strategies. Those who were opposed argued that water fluoridation has no or little proven correlation of the prevention of dental caries, may cause serious health problems within the human body, is not effective enough to justify the costs, and no longer used in pharmacology as it once was (NYT, 4/15/1956). Water fluoridation juxtaposes the common good against
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26, 1945 when the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan became the first city to fluoridate its public water supply. It was meant to be a public health experiment; The hypothesis is that dental caries could be prevented by modifying the amount of fluoride in community water supplies to test whether fluoridation could protect against tooth decay, especially among younger children (NYT, 8/5/1951). The 1950s soon exploded in the popularity of fluoridated drinking water since the days of community water fluoridation early in history. The pervasiveness of dental caries has declined in both communities with and without fluoridated water in the United States. This trend has been attributed largely to the diffusion of fluoridated water to areas without fluoridated water through bottling and processing of food and beverages made in areas that fluoridate their water and the widespread use of fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride toothpaste is very effectual in preventing dental caries, but its effectiveness depends on frequency of use by the individual or their caregivers. In contrast, water fluoridation reaches all residents of communities and generally is not dependent on individual
26, 1945 when the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan became the first city to fluoridate its public water supply. It was meant to be a public health experiment; The hypothesis is that dental caries could be prevented by modifying the amount of fluoride in community water supplies to test whether fluoridation could protect against tooth decay, especially among younger children (NYT, 8/5/1951). The 1950s soon exploded in the popularity of fluoridated drinking water since the days of community water fluoridation early in history. The pervasiveness of dental caries has declined in both communities with and without fluoridated water in the United States. This trend has been attributed largely to the diffusion of fluoridated water to areas without fluoridated water through bottling and processing of food and beverages made in areas that fluoridate their water and the widespread use of fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride toothpaste is very effectual in preventing dental caries, but its effectiveness depends on frequency of use by the individual or their caregivers. In contrast, water fluoridation reaches all residents of communities and generally is not dependent on individual