Series II. Correspondence between G.V. Black and F.S. McKay on mottled enamel of teeth Open Access (recommended)

Descriptions

Keyword

Dental Fluorosis
Tooth Abnormalities
Colorado
Fluoridation

Resource type(s)

Collected Correspondence

Rights

Public Domain Mark 1.0

Creator

Black, G. V. (Greene Vardiman), 1836-1915.
McKay, Frederick S.

Contributor

Black, Arthur Davenport, 1870-1937

Abstract

Between 1907 and 1915 Dr. Black and Dr. McKay, a practicing dentist in Colorado, had a running discussion concerning mottled teeth, or Colorado Brown Stain. Dr. Black spent the summer of 1909 in Colorado Springs to gather information and make observations. Their work culminated in the publication of Mottled teeth: an endemic developmental imperfection of the enamel of the teeth heretofore unknown in the literature of dentistry. (See: Dental cosmos, 1916; vol. 58, pp. 129-153, 477-484, 627-644, 781-792, 894-904)After Dr. Black's death, McKay continued their studies and discovered that fluoride in drinking water was the causal agent of the imperfection, noting the effect on enamel, but the lack of dental caries in those who had the condition. This was a critical breakthrough in understanding the etiology and prevention of dental caries. This discovery is the foundation for water fluoridation, which is the single most effective public health measure to inhibit tooth decay.

Digital Publisher

Galter Health Sciences Library

Date Created

1907-1915

Language

English

Subject: MESH

Tooth Abnormalities
Fluorosis, Dental--epidemiology
Fluoridation--history

Subject: Geographic Name

Colorado

Subject: Name

Black, G. V. (Greene Vardiman), 1836-1915

Digital origin

Reformatted Digital

Total Items

94

Size

0 Bytes