As the debate over the safety of adding fluoride to community water supplies roils federal institutions and state and local governments alike, it is incumbent for those exploring such a contentious public health to examine their sources. Since 1901, fluoride research in the United States has been linked with pediatrics and the health of children’s teeth. In 1945, when Grand Rapids, Michigan became the first community in the world to add fluoride to its water supply, it did so as part of a s...
