Medicine: Fluorine for Everybody

Dr. Francis A. Bull, dental director of the Wisconsin State Board of Health, had studied the statistics and to him they added up to an important conclusion: wherever fluorine is naturally present in a public water supply, there is 65% less tooth decay than normal among the population that uses it. Last week in San Francisco Dr. Bull urged the 90th annual meeting of the American Dental Association to stop testing, experimenting and delaying—now that the evidence is already overwhelming. Why not, he asked, get going at once on a broad program to add fluorine artificially to all reservoirs?

The dentists reacted cautiously. “We don’t want to run hog wild on this thing,” said one. “Bull says, ‘Go ahead, it will work.’ But will it? He doesn’t have scientific proof.” Someone else pointed out that all the data would be properly assembled in another three to five years; a definite policy could be set then.

Dr. Bull still wanted to go ahead. In Sheboygan, which has had artificial fluorination since 1946, he said, tooth decay is already down 28% in baby teeth, 19% in adult. “It is definitely established,” said he, “that it is fluorine and fluorine only that brings about this improvement.” Ten cities in Wisconsin, he added, are now adding fluorine to their water; 30 more are having equipment installed. “These national guys,” he snorted, “are on a spot. They dassn’t take any chance.”