Raise awareness on the use of Fluoride

Fluoride Day is observed on January 25 with the purpose of dedicating to the chemical compound Fluoride that has made huge impacts on human lives.

In 1901, a dental student, Frederick McKay, went to Colorado Springs to set up his dental practice. When he got there, he discovered that many locals had brown teeth, known as Colorado Brown Stain, which they believed were the consequences of high meat consumption and substandard milk.

McKay knew the brownness of teeth was caused by something else, therefore, he went through all of his dental literature and books but was unable to find the reasons. 

However, McKay didn’t give up. Instead he started to do research and was determined to find the root of this problem. During the process, Dr. G.V. Black assisted McKay to find out the cause behind Colorado Brown Stain. 

Many years later, they made several discoveries. One of them was that young children who had not developed their permanent teeth had a higher risk of getting Colorado Brown Stain. Also, the locals who had calcified teeth usually didn’t have brown teeth.

Another discovery was that the people who were affected by Colorado Brown Stain, their teeth were resistant to decay. Later on, with the help of the Chemist H.V. Churchill and his assistant, McKay found that Fluoride in water at cosmetically safe levels can fight tooth decay.

If you think the story of McKay and Dr. Black who found water-borne Fluoride in Colorado Springs very interesting, feel free to dig deeper and learn more about the historical facts that you have never heard before.

Fluoride can be dangerous, but it can help people fighting tooth decay by using the right amount. Thus, today allows us to learn more about Fluoride and educates others how to use this chemical compound safely.