Hungry Horse news., 1954-08-06
We Fauor FIuondatlon

Columbia Falls residents will decide the ques-
ton of adding fluorides to the citys water at the
regular city election next April.
Dr. Loren Kreck, Columbia Falls dentist, urgeo
fluoride use to reduce tooth decay at the August
council meeting Monday, and told the group thai
cost of installation would be about $1,000.
This is a progressive public health step, and
it will be interesting to see if Columbia Falls in
this public health matter can become one OF the
leaders in the state
The State Board of Health bulletin for August
1854 published in Helena, has long article on
"FIuoridaton of Public Water Supplies
Here are a few paragraphs: -Four Montana
communicated Belknap, Chinook, Roundup and
Bozeman-are now adding fluorides to the public
water supply to bring the content up to the recon-
mended parts per million.
"In the nation an estimated Is million people,
in more than 900 communities are drinking water
from supplies in which the fuoride content is con-
trolled as a part of a dental carries (tooth decay
program. Adding fuorides to the community's wa
ter supply will reduce dental decay up to % per
cent"
"The carries preventative effect of adequate
fluoride intake is principally conferred upon chill
dren up to the twelfth year of life during the period
when dentine and enamel of permanent dentltatlon
are being formed. However, the increased resist
ance to dental carries is carried into later Ie
The State Board of Health article actually is
keynoted to the Commission on Chronic Illness
meeting in Chicago urging fluordation of commune
ty water supplies "as positive step IN the pre-
vention of the chronic disease, dental carries
A number of communities, in Texas, North
Dakota and also Montana, have natural tuorldes
in their water with the result that people who are
raised in these communities have better teeth
Fluoride is just trace element in the water.
For more facts and figures there is July 81
Associated Press dispatch which says: The journal
of the American Dental association reported today
nine-year program of adding fluorides to public
drinking water in Brantford, Ont. had resulted In
an overall reduction in dental decay OF 557 per
cent in the permanent teeth of children between
5 and Is years old.
"The study was based dental records OF
1886 children who have been drinking fluoridated
water and records of 5,164 children of comparable
age made before fluoridation began in the Cana
dian community in 1945
One can make quite for fuoridation OF
water.
On the other hand, there is sentiment that the
only good water is that which is completely wei
and nothing else What people tend to forget IS that
pure rain water is flat Fuoride won't present taste
problems. Actually presence of certain elements
helps waters taste.
We can also expect to have examples pointed
out of men and who have lived mere all
their lives, and have good teeth By the same token
there are comparatively young and women in
the community with store teeth.
Actually fluoridation of water has passed be-
yond the stage of being new tangled" Idea
There's also ample time to discuss the proposal
before the city election next April.
The various clubs in the community would do
well to spend some time studying fuorldatlon OF
water When the issue comes to a vote next April,
we hope it passes At the same time, the approval
should come from citizens who have looked into
the matter.
Let's also think in terms of $1,000 spent by the