One of the ten most important public health measures of the 20th century

How the Story Starts…

It is 1901; Dr. Frederick McKay has just arrived in Colorado Springs to start his dental practice. Unbeknown to him this move will begin a new quest to understand why so many of his patients in the area have a mysterious brown staining of their teeth. McKay will spend thirty years diligently investigating the cause, but in the process he will find that the strangely stained or “mottled” teeth are also decay free. He will go on to establish that the cause is in the drinking water. In 1931, H.V. Churchill, a chemist working for the Alcoa Company, is concerned about a possible link between bauxite, an aluminum ore, and tooth staining. After analyzing water from several associated areas he finds that fluoride is the common factor.… Read more – Read Full Article in our library…

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