08-22-66 Council Meeting Minutes

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Board of Health Clifton, New Jersey January 15, 1960 Dear Doctor: The Clifton Board of Health, interested in developing and maintaining the good health of its' citizens, is about to institute a Dental Health Program. The program was formulated following an intensive study of the part played by the Fluoride/in the prevention of dental cavities. Scientific literature on this subject has shown that dietary supplementation with fluoride tablets in those areas where the communal water supplies are lacking in fluorides is beneficial in. the prevention of dental cavities. This program has been approved by the Council on Therapeutics of the American Dental Association and locally has been approved by the Passaic County Dental and Medical Societies. It has been shown that fluorides are only of value during the formative period of teeth and prior to full maturation of dental enamel. For this reason, the program of diet supplementation with fluorides is being limited to children up to the age of nine years, and to pregnant women. The following d6sage is recommended: - Children: 6 months of age, through 2 years of age: One tablet dissolved in water - z of the water to be swallowed one day, the remainder the second day. Children: Three years of age to age nine: One tablet daily, dissolved in the mouth or in water and swallowed. Pregnant Women: One tablet daily, dissolved in the mouth or in water and swallowed. The Board of Health will supply free of charge 2.2 mg Sodium Fluoride tablets along with vials, labels and dental charts to Clifton physicians and dentists who will distribute these tablets to those patients, residents of Clifton, who will benefit from a fluoride supplemented diet. Tablets should be dispensed in quantities of 100 at a time and labels will be marked "CAUTION: KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN ". The parent should be instucted of their responsibility in keeping these tablets out of the reach of children. Also, the dispensing doctors will be asked to conscientiously follow these cases through, so that the benefits of this program may be accurately evaluated Your cooperation in this program is respectfully requested. Sincerely yours, /s/ Henry Marrocco, Jr. President of Board of Health Newsvaner Release The Clifton Board of Health, ever mindful of the role of prevention in disease is about to institute and maintain a program, the aim of which is to reduce the incidence of dental decay occurring to its citizens. The program is the result of an intensive study of the part played by the fluoride ion in the prevention of dental decay. The literature on this subject both domestic and foreign, has shown that dietary supplementation with fluoride tablets in those areas where the substance is missing or deficient is beneficial in the prevention of tooth decay. This program has been approved by the Council on Therapeutics of the American Dental Association and locally has been approved by the Passaic County Dental and Medical Societies. It has been shown that fluorides are only of value during the formative stages of tooth development and prior to the full maturation of dental enamel. This is one of the reasons for the Board's inauguration of this program of dietary fluoride supplementation to children up to the age of.nine years and to pregnant women. The Board will supply at the Board of Health dental clinic free of charge, tablets of chemically pure Sodium Fluoride to any resident of the City of Clifton who is in the category where the supplement might be of value. Quantities of the tablets will be supplied on request to all physicians and dentists who in turn will dispense them to residents of Clifton who are under their care. The use of the dietary supplement will be under the observation and control of physicians and dentists. They will be requested to maintain records on their patients receiving fluoride medication and annually will report their findings to the Board of Health. Parents are advised that like all medications, the tablets must be kept out of the reach of children at all times. Some of the reasons for the Board's action in providing this service to its residents rather than promoting fluoridation of the communal water supply follow: 1. Cost: To fluoridate a water supply the figure of 10 cents per person per year is the commonly quoted cost. For the City of Clifton, this amounts to $8600, without considering the salaries that would be needed for supervisory personnel and replacements of pipes and equipment. By our method, the cost to the City will be less than $350 per year. 2. Waste: Only z of 1% of the water supplied to a city is used for human consumption. The largest seg- ment of the fluoridated water supply would be used for industrial purposes, bathing washing clothes and automobiles, watering lawns, etc. 3. Dosage: 4. Safety: The Board feels that the fluoride tablet method of supplying fluorides is the more accurate and better controlled means of dispensing fluorides. Whereas, because of the variations in water regttirements and use by different individuals the fluoridation of communal water supplies cannot assure each individual ingesting the proper amount of water to produce the hoped for results. Some people drink large quantities of water while others drink moderate amounts, still others drink hardly any water. This naturally would result in varied quantities of fluorides taken by the public when the water supply is the vehicle for carrying fluorides. By this method, chronic intoxication and storage can not occur, as is the possibility with life long ingestion by the water supply. From experience it has been shown that some people react adversely to fluoride. By the tablet method, when the doctor finds.that this is occurring,