Evening star., 1951-02-22
FIuoride Water Benefits Shown in Study

| per cent, DR.. Ostrow said. Treat
ments, which consist merely of
applying solutions to the teeth
after cleaning. are recommended
at the ages of 8, 7, 10 and 13.
The use of f1uoride in city water
systems has been indorsed by the
American Dental Association. the
State and Territorial dental health
directors, the State and Terri
torial health officers. the American
Public Health Association and the
American Water Works Associa-
tion. The United States Public
Health Service also has Endorsed
lit officially.
DR.. H. Trendley Dean, director
OF the National Institute of Dental
Research at Bethesda, said their
appears to be no dispute in the
profession about the beneficial re-
suits obtained from the proper
amounts of fuoride in water.
'As knowledge advances" he
stated, "it becomes apparent that
the f1uoride content of domestic
water is destined to play an i'm
portant role in dental hygiene. ?"
The District Water Department
has made estimates of the cost of
the program here, which DR.. Os-
trow said he felt were a little
high" But even if they are high,
he added, the total sum involved
lis not large when measured
against the expected results.
S111,460 Estimate.
If sodium flouride was used. the
Water Department estimated it
would cost $4,000 a year for the
chemical, $4,000 for additional
personnel and transportation and
ST, AGO for repairs. This totals
Sill, ,460 a year.
The initial investment for new
equipment would total $4,000.
the Water Department estimated.
If sodium f1oursilicate were used,
the annual cost would be $4,000
less, the Water Department said
DR.. Ostrow said he felt this esti-
mate was high as sodium fuorsili-
cate should cost about half the
price of sodium fluoride. Equip
ment and other costs would be the
same.
A third type of chemical, hydro
f1uorsilic acid, would cost $780, 800
a year, and the new equipment
about $4,000.
| DR.. Ostrow said the sodium
f1uorsilicate is the most likely
compound to use, since it is
cheaper and easy to handle.
AS far as he knows, DR.. OstroW
said, the only issue that will arise
is which city department. will
carry the cost of the program
against its budget.
The Water Department wants
it charged against the Health De-
partment on the ground it is pre-
ventive medicine. DR.. Ostrow said
he feels it belongs in the Water
Department budget but that he
will not make any serious issue
because he is anxious for the pro-
gram to get under way.
Italian Case Studied.
The relation between fuoride in
water and the decay of teeth was
first postulated at the turn of the
century by an English chemist.
At about the same time an Amer
ican doctor attached to the Amer
ican consulate in Naples. Italy,
issued a report noting the dis
colored teeth of Italians in the
area where thea water was f1uor-
idated naturally.
In fact, interest in what
caused this discoloring of the
teeth in areas where water nat
urally contained fluorides led to
the research in the preventive
aspects of the compound. Many
cities in the United States have
naturally f1uoridated water and,
lin areas where the concentration
/ is too great. "mottled enamel
results.
The concentration recommend
ed for city water supplies one
part of fluoride to each million
parts of water-eliminates any
danger of discoloring, the USPHS
says.