248

Journal of Public Health Dentistry

Letters To The Editor May 31, 1979

To The Editor: To give you my viewpoint on some of the questions raised in your editorial on "Some Random Musings About Fluoridation":

To insure that flouoridation is a faot rather than a myth in a specific community, careful monitoring is a must by someone as close to the scene as possible who, by training and personal knowledge, is motivated to maintain the correct level of fluoride in the water supply continuously, with minimum or no interruption, for maximum biological effect. Most logically, this should be the responsibility of the local dental director. One cannot rely on water department personnel to assign a high priority to the fluoridation monitoring activity. Too frequently, surveillance of the fluoridation chdore after it starts in a water treatment plant is quietly neglected after a short period of time. Some recent studies in several states have revealed that 50% or more of the water samples collected from the distribution systems of selected fluoridated water supplies contained fluoride ion levels lower than the recommended ranges for these communities. In Philadelphia, authority and resonsibility for monitoring and surveillance lies with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, and more specifically with the Dental Director. Daily samples are collected by health department sanitarians at various health centers fed by each of three reservoir systems in the City. These samples are analyzed by the health department laboratory with the results monitored by the dental director. Periodic meetings take place with key water department personnel to discuss comparability of results and the success in maintaining the required fluoride levels. The method used for analysis is the ion electrode method. Both the health department and the water department use this ion electrode method, which is both quick and accurate. It is probably the most cost-effective method available today. Experience has demonstrated to me that only by a careful vigil by someone close to the scene of action can the level of fluoride be maintained properly for maximum biological benefits in a community. Edward Bronstein, D.D.S., M.P.H. Acting Director Division of Dental Health Department of Public Health Community Health Services City of Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA 19146 EB:kml

And the Editor replies: Amen!

-DFS

Some random musings about fluoridation.

248 Journal of Public Health Dentistry Letters To The Editor May 31, 1979 To The Editor: To give you my viewpoint on some of the questions raised i...
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