THE WATER WE DRINK…

The Origins Of Water Fluoridation

HISTORY OF FLUORIDE << PART I: ORIGINS >>  << PART II: THE ALUMINUM CONNECTION >>.

The origins of the dental application of what we associate the use of FLUORIDE, begins with an individual at the dawn of his yet to be recognized career in orthodontic dentistry. It was 1901, yet to be doctor, “Fredrick McKay” was in Colorado Springs working as a dental associate for $75.00/ month. In this work McKay noticed patients with the presence of multiple teeth with white or brown spots (later termed “Colorado Brown Stain”) and in severe cases the enamel was pitted. He became disturbed that many of his fellow practitioners were apathetic about identifying the cause and solution to this cosmetic problem.

By 1905 Fredrick McKay had become interested in orthodontics and moved to St. Louis to begin his orthodontic training. While in St. Louis he noticed the brown stain was prevalent in that region, also. He continued his research in the area but was unable to find an answer.

In 1908 he returned to Colorado Springs due to health reasons and practiced orthodontics while continuing to investigate of the “Colorado Brown Stain“.

In May, 1908 he and other members of the El Paso County Odontological Society presented a patient at the Colorado Dental Association meeting to illustrate and promote interest in the condition. To his dismay little interest was manifested by those at the meeting.

In December, 1908 a committee consisting of Drs. McKay, Fleming and Burton was formed by the El Paso County Odonological Society to examine the teeth of the public school children in the Colorado Springs area for evidence of the “Brown Stain”. On January 8, 1909 the School Board granted permission to examine the children and the dental society allocated $21.00 to cover the cost of the exams. During the spring of 1909 they examined 2945 children and were astounded to find that 87.5 percent were afflicted with some degree of stain or mottling, and those afflicted were native to the Pikes Peak region. There were many theories for the cause of the stain. Some felt it was limited to the poor; others felt it was due to eating too much pork or drinking milk from local cows; others attributed it to radium and still others thought it was due to a calcium deficiency in the local drinking water

Funding was minimal and Dr. McKay primarily used his own funds to support his research. In 1910 he was granted $300.00 from the City of Colorado Springs. The next year, while serving as president of the Colorado Dental Association, he received $150.00 to assist with his study. He applied for and received the first research grant for $800.00 from the National Dental Association to continue his research.

By 1915 it was agreed that something in the water was causing the brown stain. But test after test failed to identify the critical substance.

PHOTO caption: In 1908 Dr. McKay corresponded with Dr. G.V. Black, Dean of Northwestern University Dental School in Chicago about the unique Colorado Brown Stain. Dr. Black became interested and began to study the problem. In 1909 Dr. Black came to Colorado Springs to see the stained enamel first hand. .By 1915 it was agreed that something in the water was causing the brown stain. This led to many years of research and study between the two men and culminated in the publication of their early report in Dental Cosmos in 1916 Testing through this period failed to identify the critical substance causing the Brown Stain.

photo: 1909: Dr. G.V. Black (Lt) visited Dr. F. McKay (Rt)

1916-1931: 15 years of continued research failed to yield an answer to exactly what it was in the Pikes Peak “Cryolite” unique region that was causing the “Brown Stain”