The Surprising History of Fluoride

It’s no secret that dental experts consider fluoride to be extremely important for preventing cavities; in fact, the American Dental Association will only give their Seal of Acceptance to toothpaste that contains fluoride. But how exactly were the benefits of this essential mineral discovered? Here’s a quick overview of the history of fluoride and how it came to be so relied upon.

The Mysterious Tooth Stains of Colorado Springs

The story of fluoride begins with a young dentist named Frederick McKay who opened a practice in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1901. He found that many of the people in the town had dark brown stains on their teeth. At the time, dentistry offered no explanation for this type of discoloration, so McKay dedicated himself to figuring out the underlying cause.

In 1909, Dr. G.V. Black – who was well known for his dental research – came to Colorado Springs to assist McKay. Together, they found that the stained teeth were much more resistant to decay, but they were unable to narrow down the cause at the time.

Something in the Water?

McKay’s research took a significant step forward in 1923 when he visited Oakley, a town in Idaho that also experienced tooth stains. He found that the staining had begun after a pipeline was built to a nearby spring. On McKay’s recommendation, the town switched to a different spring, and within a few years, the staining stopped. This narrowed down the source of the phenomenon, but McKay still hadn’t identified the underlying cause.

The Breakthrough

Eventually, McKay’s investigation took him to Bauxite in Arkansas. Finding that the residents were also affected by brown tooth stains, he asked them to study the water. The chief chemist, H.V. Churchill, found that the water contained high levels of fluoride. Upon learning this, McKay performed tests on the water from Colorado Springs and Oakley. The results gave him his answer: the stains were due to high levels of fluoride in the water.

Putting Fluoride to Good Use

Following up on McKay’s findings, the National Institute of Health (NIH) decided to investigate the effects of fluoride on the teeth. Eventually, it was discovered that as long as fluoride levels in the water were no greater than 1.0 ppm (parts per million), enamel staining would not occur.

Taking into account the previous findings of the stained teeth being cavity-resistant, tests were done to see if fluoride could be used to help fight tooth decay. The town of Grand Rapids in Michigan added fluoride to its drinking water in 1945, and within 11 years, it was found that the rate of cavities among the local children had fallen by more than 60%.

Thanks to all the research done over the years, dentists today are now well aware of the benefits fluoride can have for the teeth. The next time you head to the store for toothpaste, double-check to make sure it contains fluoride so that you can give your teeth the best protection possible.

About the Author

Dr. David Rosenfeld studied dentistry at the Columbia University School of Dental and Oral Surgery in New York City. He has advanced training in many different fields of dentistry, and he has had the opportunity to help improve many smiles over the course of his career. He offers fluoride treatment for both children and adults as a means of protecting enamel from cavities. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Rosenfeld at Rosenfeld Dental Associates in Edison, visit his website or call (908) 668-7838.