Fluorine and Dental Health: The Pharmacology and Toxicology of Fluorine

The Series of collected papers constitutes the second symposium on fluoridation of public water supplies. The first was published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1954. The present publication however is different both in intent and in subject matter. The first symposium was devoted primarily to the use of fluorides for the partial prevention of dental caries. Such topics as the determination of fluoride in water, the chemical aspects of fluoridation and the engineering involved in water fluoridation were discussed in detail. The papers comprised in the present publication are devoted entirely to the physiological and pharmacological aspects of fluoride when used in the communal water supply. These papers based on original research are extremely valuable as source material. The chief reason for holding this symposium at this time as well as for choosing the particular topics presented was that fluoridation is being seriously hampered because of incomplete dissemination of the scientific evidence which is available indicating the overwhelming safety of this public health procedure.