100 a Tooth

At Washington's Hotel Shoreham one day last week, 3,000 dentists were shown an easy way of putting themselves halfway out of business. Dr. John Knutson, of the U.S. Public Health Service, demonstrated the best way of swabbing children's teeth with fluoride.*Properly done, the swabbing appears to reduce cavities by 40 to 50% (TIME, Aug. 18).

By using dental hygienists in schools, the cost, according to U.S.P.H.S. doctors, can be reduced t010-c- a tooth. A gallon of 2% sodium fluoride, enough to treat the whole school population in an average-sized community, costs 5-c-. But 16 treatments are needed--a series of four each at ages 3, 7, 10 and 13. Actually, there are not enough dental hygienists to go around. Dentists would have to charge their private patients up to $40 for the 16 treatments.

Since 90% of U.S. children have one or more decayed teeth by the time they enter school, the P.H.S. hopes to see a sodium fluoride prevention program started. Congress has been asked for $1,500,000, the money to be administered by state health departments.

*Sodium fluoride is being added to drinking water in long-range dental experiments in at least ten U.S. and Canadian cities: Newburgh, N.Y.; Grand Rapids, Mich.; Bradford, Ont.; Sheboygan, Wis.; Midland, Mich.; Marshall, Tex.; Ottawa, Kans.; Evanston, 111.; Crossett, Ark.; Lewiston, Idaho.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.