Dental Caries and the Pediatrician

To the Editor: I was astonished to find the lead (and only) editorial in the August, 1963, issue of the American Journal of Diseases of Children given over to a dogmatic contradiction of the considered opinions of the American Dental Society, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and other groups of equal prestige concerning the value of water supply fluoridation. Medical and dental literature seems adequate to establish its value and safety, and Dr. Black's conclusions are in no way supported by studies that have been made of populations of communities favored (poisoned?) naturally or artificially with a fluoride content in their water supply adequate to reduce the incidence of dental caries.

It is not true that administration of fluoride in the manner Dr. Black suggests is "without expense" unless one considers it advisable to give vitamin supplements to children over three years of age and to give larger than needed