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Speedway Doctors Recall Fluoridation Effort
(posted Oct 15)
It has been 41 years since Ordinance 394 passed, authorizing fluoridation
of Speedway's water. Dr. Kenneth Gray, MD and Dr. Francis McCormick, DDS,
were instrumental in convincing the council that it would prevent tooth
decay.
Dr. McCormick said that the state board of health started pushing communities to fluoridate the water in 1951.
Dr. Gray started his fluoridation campaign when he was practicing medicine
where the Main Attraction Antique Mall is today. At that time, he was aware
there was no fluoride in the water, so he drafted letters to medical doctors
and dentists to start a campaign. He said he received 100 percent return
from medical profession supporting the idea.
Dr. Gray still retains a copy of the town minutes that described May 22,
1967 council meeting. As written by the Clerk Treasurer Ray Oeth, the room
was filled to capacity with 2,174 petition signature supporting the cause.
The council directed Water Superintendent Max Williams to install the necessary
equipment to start the process. Gray said only two people opposed the idea,
calling it "poison." Fluoridation is safe as long as it is below
1 part per million, if it goes
higher, it can discolor the teeth.
Dr. McCormick explained that fluoride can occur naturally in some water sources, so it needs to be tested. Some communities actually need to remove fluoride, so it does not cause malformation or discoloration of the teeth.
McCormick shared the history of fluoride. The initial fluoride study started due to a 1901 "phenomenon" happening in Colorado Springs where a dentist reported the "Colorado Brown Stain." The stain was also reported in Oakley, Idaho, and Bauxite, Arizona. "The suspicion that something was in the water causing a very noticeable discoloration and malformation of the young people's teeth." It was reduction in tooth decay that made the study even more intriguing to scientists throughout the country and the world.
Fluoride was first added to the water in US in 1939. McCormick said it
takes about ten years to show the results. He said about 96 percent of
the communities in Indiana now have fluoride in the municipal water supplies.
Studies show that fluoride has reduced dental decay by 75 percent in Hoosiers
from 1960 to 1995. Indianapolis started adding fluoride in 1951. Dr. Gray
attested that he saw a reduction in tooth decay while continuing his medical
practice. He attributed it to the fluoride and the ability to have improved
dental care.
Dr. McCormick indicated that some water filtering systems can remove fluoride
and most bottled water companies do not add fluoride. He recommended contacting
the water filtering manufacturer to see if their process extracts fluoride.
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