Faculty Sponsor
Dr. Lesley Sieger-Walls
Final Abstract for URS Program
Fluoridation is the addition of fluoride to a source of drinking water. In St. Louis’s public water supply, the amount of fluoride remains the same since 1953 at 5ppm. Dr. Ralph Rosen and his team of dentists and researchers advocated for the fluoridation of the water because it reduced the frequency of dental caries occurring in children and adults alike, but the public had opinions on the sudden addition of chemicals to their water. This includes how the public’s health will be affected, how consumer products would change, and also how effective this addition of fluoride would be. This debate was the beginning of the modern day debate and struggle to regulate the amount of certain chemicals in the U.S. drinking water, including lead, PFAS, and trihalomethane.
Presentation Type
Visual Presentation
Document Type
Article
Included in
Chemical Actions and Uses Commons, Dentistry Commons, Environmental Studies Commons, Water Law Commons