The fluoridation of public drinking water first began in the U.S. in January 1945 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. To put this into a U.S. perspective, World War 2 was still raging and the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki had not yet occurred.
“Fluoridator” was the term for the device that injected fluoride into a school’s water system. Very little has been written about this miserable “public-health” scheme. It appears it began in the late 1960s and ended sometime in the late 1990s. As far as we know there has been no acknowledgement of its history in the many schools that installed these devices. There have been some studies that reported overdosing with these devices, see for example Hoffman et al. (1980) and Vogt et al. (1982).
The schools that are listed below came from the Fluoridation Census 1992. Not all schools are listed and not all of the schools have a “start date.” For example we have no schools listed below for Pennsylvania, yet we have this report of an overfeed:
JUNE 1972 – Northeast Bradford Elementary School, Rome, Pennsylvania: Records show fluoride at 48 ppm in water and 230 ppm in coffee. 150 students attending a school picnic vomit after drinking orange juice made with the water. (SOURCE: Bevis 1981)
The “optimal level” of fluoride used in fluoridation schemes ranged between 0.7 – 1.2 mg/L and this was dependent on the annual average of maximum daily air temperature in each state. The higher the air temperature, the less fluoride was put into the drinking water. The “optimal fluoride” level was expected to reduce dental caries and minimize the risk of dental fluorosis (p iv, Fluoridation Census 1992).
For schools, the “optimal level” for fluoride was “4.5 times the optimal fluoride level for communities” (p iv, Fluoridation Census 1992).
However, on April 27, 2015, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) removed air temperature as the basis for “optimal fluoride” levels in community fluoridation schemes. HHS stated
Common sense would suggest the opposite – that the higher the air temperatures, the more fluid one would drink. In one study on children in Texas, the authors found this to be the case: “Children from homes which had air conditioning had a lower prevalence of mottling…” (Butler et al, 1985). The authors of the 2006 report of the National Research Council of the National Academies noted that one high fluoride intake group are “people living in very hot or dry climates” (page 30).
It appears that HHS needed some explanation to drop the levels of fluoride to 0.7 ppm for fluoridation schemes in their effort to reduce the gross prevalence of dental fluorosis in young teenagers, while staving off the inevitable end of fluoridation.
See also,
• 1995, Recommendations for fluoridated school public water supply system
• 1976, A Manual for Rural School Fluoridation (particularly for the state of Kentucky). By LW Sprouse & J Brooks for the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, Public Health Service.
Not all schools are listed below |
||
School |
Fluoride Level |
|
ALASKA |
||
Beringst SD – Shishmaref School Nome County |
5.0 ppm | |
Beringst SD – St Michael School Nome County Start Date January 1980 |
5.0 ppm | |
Beringst SD – Stebbins School Nome County |
5.0 ppm | |
Unalaska School Aleution Islands |
5.0 ppm | |
INDIANA |
||
Atwood Elementary Kosciusko County Start Date 1985 |
4.5 ppm | |
Blue River Elem Henry County Start Date 1977 |
4.5 ppm | |
Boone Grove School Porter County Start Date 1978 |
4.5 ppm | |
Brummitt Elem Porter County Start Date 1979 |
4.5 ppm | |
Carroll Elementary Carroll County |
4.5 ppm | |
College Corner Elem Madison County Start Date 1977 |
4.5 ppm | |
Concord Ox-Bow Elem Elkhart County |
4.5 ppm | |
Concord South Elem Elkhart County Start Date 1978 |
4.5 ppm | |
Coolspring Elem La Porte County Start Date 1979 |
4.5 ppm | |
Cowan Elem Delaware County Start Date 1977 |
4.5 ppm | |
Critchfield, FW Elem La Porte County Start Date 1978 |
4.5 ppm | |
Cross Cliff Elem Bartholomew County Start Date 1977 |
4.5 ppm | |
Cumberland Road Elem Hamilton County Start Date 1980 |
4.5 ppm | |
Cunningham Elem Madison County Start Date 1977 |
4.5 ppm | |
Daleville Elem Delaware County Start Date 1977 |
4.5 ppm | |
Dayton Elem Tippencanoe County Start Date 1974 |
4.5 ppm | |
Desoto Elem Delaware County Start Date 1978 |
4.5 ppm | |
Durbin Elem Hamilton County Start Date 1980 |
4.5 ppm | |
East Elem Madison County |
4.5 ppm | |
Eastlawn School White County |
4.5 ppm | |
Eden Elem Hancock County Start Date 1976 |
4.5 ppm | |
Eggleston Elem St Joseph County Start Date 1977 |
4.5 ppm | |
Eminence Elem Morgan County Start Date 1979 |
4.5 ppm | |
Fall Creek Elem Hamilton County Start Date 1979 |
4.5 ppm | |
Galana Elem La Porte County Start Date 1990 |
4.5 ppm | |
Green Twp Elem Morgan County Start Date 1979 |
4.5 ppm | |
Greene Elem & Middle St Joseph County Start Date 1979 |
4.5 ppm | |
Harley-Hoblen Elem Elkhart County Start Date 1976 |
4.5 ppm | |
Harrison Elem Delaware County Start Date 1978 |
4.5 ppm | |
Hershey Elem Tippecanoe County |
4.5 ppm | |
Honeyville Elem LaGrange County Start Date 1977 |
4.5 ppm | |
Hudson Lake Elem LaPorte County Start Date 1990 |
4.5 ppm | |
Indian Trail Elem La Porte County Start Date 1992 |
4.5 ppm | |
Jackson Elem Porter County Start Date 1979 |
4.5 ppm | |
Jackson Elem Madison County Start Date 1981 |
4.5 ppm | |
Jefferson Elem Elkhart Start Date 1978 |
4.5 ppm | |
Jimtown Elem Elkhart County Start Date 1978 |
4.5 ppm | |
John Wood Elem Lake County Start Date 1978 |
4.5 ppm | |
Killbuck Elem Madison County Start Date 1977 |
4.5 ppm | |
Kingsbury Elem La Porte County Start Date 1978 |
4.5 ppm | |
Lake Village Elem Newton County Start Date 1974 |
4.5 ppm | |
Laville Elem St Joseph County Start Date 1977 |
4.5 ppm | |
Leach Elem Madison County Start Date 1981 |
4.5 ppm | |
Leesburg School Kosciusko County Start Date 1985 |
4.5 ppm | |
Liberty Elem Porter County Start Date 1979 |
4.5 ppm | |
Lincoln Elem Newton County Start Date 1976 |
4.5 ppm | |
Maxwell Middle Hancock County Start Date 1976 |
4.5 ppm | |
Monterry Elem Marshall County Start Date 1991 |
4.5 ppm | |
Morgan Twp School Porter County Start Date 1980 |
4.5 ppm | |
New Paris Elem Elkhart County Start Date 1992 |
4.5 ppm | |
North Madison Elem Morgan County Start Date 1979 |
4.5 ppm | |
North Miami Elem Miami County Start Date 1980 |
4.5 ppm | |
Oregon-Davis School Starke County |
4.5 ppm | |
Perry Elem Delaware County Start Date 1976 |
4.5 ppm | |
Pine Elem Porter County Start Date 1979 |
4.5 ppm | |
Pine Village Elem Warren County Start Date 1973 |
4.5 ppm | |
Pleasant Lake Elem Steuben County Start Date 1969 |
4.5 ppm | |
SE Fountain School Fountain County Start Date 1977 |
4.5 ppm | |
Seeger & Warren Central School Warren County |
4.5 ppm | |
South Central La Porte County Start Date 1976 |
4.5 ppm | |
Springfield Elem La Porte County Start Date 1979 |
4.5 ppm | |
Triton Elem Shelby County Start Date 1976 |
4.5 ppm | |
Triton Middle Shelby County Start Date 1979 |
4.5 ppm | |
Union Center Elem Porter County Start Date 1980 |
4.5 ppm | |
Union Elem Elkhart County Start Date 1979 |
4.5 ppm | |
Union Middle Porter County Start Date 1980 |
4.5 ppm | |
Warren Elem St Joseph County Start Date 1977 |
4.5 ppm | |
Washington Twp School Porter County Start Date 1977 |
4.5 ppm | |
Wes-Del Middle Delaware County Start Date 1980 |
4.5 ppm | |
West Central Elem Pulaski County Start Date 1982 |
4.5 ppm | |
Westwood Elem Jasper County Start Date 1980 |
4.5 ppm | |
Winfield Elem Lake County Start Date 1974 |
4.5 ppm | |
Wood, John Elem Lake County Start Date 1978 |
4.5 ppm | |
York Elem Elkhart County Start Date 1984 |
1.0 ppm | |
KENTUCKY |
||
Arlie Boggs Elem School Letcher County Start Date 1973 |
4 ppm | |
Arnette, John T Elem School Magoffin County Start Date 1974 |
4 ppm | |
Beaver Creek Elem School Knott County Start Date1974 |
4 ppm | |
Beckham Bates Elem Letchner County |
4 ppm | |
Beckham Combs Elem School Knott County Start Date 1973 |
4 ppm | |
Beech Fork Elem Leslie County |
4 ppm | |
Big Creek Elem Leslie County |
4 ppm | |
Big Creek Elem Sch Perry County Start Date 1975 |
4 ppm | |
Big Creek Elem School Cray County Start Date 1975 |
4 ppm | |
Big Sinking Elem School Wayne County Start Date 1975 |
4 ppm | |
Black Mt Elem School Harlan County Start Date 1973 |
4 ppm | |
Blaine Elem School Lawrence County Start Date 1977 |
4 ppm | |
Brushy Elem School Pike County Start Date 1976 |
4 ppm | |
Buckhorn Elem School Perry County Start Date 1973 |
4 ppm | |
Campbells Br Elem School Letcher County Start Date 1973 |
4 ppm | |
Caney Creek Elem Knott County |
4 ppm | |
Carlisle Carlisle County Start Date 1979 |
4 ppm | |
Carr Creek Elem School Knott County Start Date 1973 |
4 ppm | |
Carter Elem School Carter County Start Date 1977 |
4 ppm | |
Cordia Elementary/High School Knott County |
4 ppm | |
Cowan Elem School Letchner County Start Date 1973 |
4 ppm | |
Cranks Elem School Harlan County Start Date 1980 |
4 ppm | |
Crockett Elem School Morgan County Start Date 1977 |
4 ppm | |
Cuba Elem School Graves County Start Date 1975 |
4 ppm | |
Cubbage Elem School Bell County Start Date 1979 |
4 ppm | |
Douglas Elem School Casey County Start Date 1977 |
4 ppm | |
Emmalena Elem School Knott County Start Date 1973 |
4 ppm | |
Ezel Elem School Morgan County Start Date 1976 |
4 ppm | |
Garrett Elem School Casey County Start Date 1977 |
4 ppm | |
Hacker Elem School Clay County Start Date 1975 |
4 ppm | |
Hayes Lewis Elem School Leslie County Start Date1973 |
4 ppm | |
Hemphill Elem School Letcher County Start Date 1973 |
4 ppm | |
Holmes Mill Elem School Harlan County Start Date 1973 |
4 ppm | |
Isonville Elem School Elliott County Start Date 1976 |
4 ppm | |
Jackson Rowe Elem School Pike County Start Date 1973 |
4 ppm | |
Jones Fork Elem School Knott County Start Date 1973 |
4 ppm | |
Kingdom Come Letcher County Start Date 1973 |
4 ppm | |
Leatherwood Elem School Perry County Start Date 1980 |
4 ppm | |
Letcher School Letcher County Start Date 1973 |
4 ppm | |
Lost Creek School Perry County Start Date 1973 |
4 ppm | |
Majestic School Pike County Start Date 1974 |
4 ppm | |
Martha Jane Potter Elem School Letchre County Start Date 1973 |
4 ppm | |
Melvin Elem School Floyd County Start Date 1975 |
4 ppm | |
Milner Elem Breckinridge County |
4 ppm | |
Nevisdale Whitley County Start Date 1975 |
4 ppm | |
Nicholas Elem School Bullitt County Start Date 1976 |
4 ppm | |
Nicholas Elem School Bullitt County Start Date 1976 |
4 ppm | |
Oldtown Elem School Greenup County Start Date 1979 |
4 ppm | |
Osborne Elem School Floyd County Start Date 1975 |
4 ppm | |
Phelps Elem & High School Pike County Start Date 1974 |
4 ppm | |
Poplar Creek Elem School Whitley County Start Date 1975 |
4 ppm | |
Powersburg Elem School Wayne County Start Date 1975 |
4 ppm | |
Red Bird Elem Clay County |
4 ppm | |
Robinson Elem School Perry County Start Date 1974 |
4 ppm | |
Rocky Branch Elem School Wayne County Start Date 1975 |
4 ppm | |
Rosspoint Elem School Harlan County Start Date 1975 |
4 ppm | |
Rousseau Elem School Breathitt County Start Date 1975 |
4 ppm | |
Sycamore Elem School Pike County Start Date 1976 |
4 ppm | |
Turner Elem School Breathitt County Start Date 1975 |
4 ppm | |
Verda Elem School Harlan County Start Date 1973 |
4 ppm | |
Viper Elem School Perry County Start Date 1973 |
4 ppm | |
Wallins Elem School Harlen County Start Date 1973 |
4 ppm | |
Willard Elem Perry County |
4 ppm | |
Wrigleu Elem School Morgan County Start Date 1973 |
||
MINNESOTA |
||
Afton-Lakeland School Washington County Start Date January 1988 |
5.4 ppm | |
Alborn Elem School St Louis County Start Date November 1986 |
5.4 ppm | |
Albrook School St Louis County Start Date November 1986 |
5.4 ppm | |
Cotton School St Louis County Start Date January 1988 |
5.4 ppm | |
Marine Elem School Washington County Start Date January 1988 |
5.4 ppm | |
NORTH CAROLINA |
||
Bee Log Yancey County Start Date January 1974 |
4.5 ppm | |
Bethel Elem Watauga County Start Date January 1973 |
4.5 ppm | |
Bethel Hill Elem Person County Start Date January 1980 |
4.5 ppm | |
Boomer-Ferguson Wilkes County Start Date January 1975 |
4.5 ppm | |
Buladean Mitchell County Start Date January 1974 |
4.5 ppm | |
Cameron Moore County Start Date January 1974 |
4.5 ppm | |
Carver County Vance County Start Date January 1977 |
4.5 ppm | |
Clearmont Yancey County Start Date January 1974 |
4.5 ppm | |
Clement Sampson County Start Date January 1972 |
4.5 ppm | |
Copeland Surry County Start Date January 1975 |
4.5 ppm | |
Courtney Yadkin County Start Date January 1972 |
4.5 ppm | |
East Duplin Duplin County Start Date January 1975 |
4.5 ppm | |
Fariview Elem Jackson County Start Date January 1981 |
4.5 ppm | |
Fall Creek Yadkin County Start Date January 1972 |
4.5 ppm | |
Fines Creek Haywood County Start Date January 1973 |
4.5 ppm | |
Fleetwood Ashe County Start Date January 1973 |
4.5 ppm | |
Forbush Yadkin County Start Date January 1972 |
4.5 ppm | |
Francisco Elem Stokes County Start Date January 1977 |
4.5 ppm | |
Germanton Elem Stokes Elem Start Date January 1977 |
4.5 ppm | |
Glade Creek Alleghany County Start Date January 1973 |
4.5 ppm | |
Grady, B F Duplin County Start Date January 1975 |
4.5 ppm | |
Halls Piney Grove Sampson County Start Date January 1970 |
4.5 ppm | |
Hargrove Sampson County Start Date January 1970 |
4.5 ppm | |
Helena Elem Person County Start Date January 1981 |
4.5 ppm | |
Hobbton Sampson County Start Date January 1979 |
4.5 ppm | |
Low Gap Surry County Start Date January 1982 |
4.5 ppm | |
Mabel Watauga County Start Date January 1973 |
4.5 ppm | |
Micaville Yancey County Start Date January 1974 |
4.5 ppm | |
Midway Sampson County Start Date January 1976 |
4.5 ppm | |
Monroeton Rockingham County Start Date January 1973 |
4.5 ppm | |
Mountain Park Surry County Start Date January 1972 |
4.5 ppm | |
Mt Pleasant Wilkes County Start Date January 1974 |
4.5 ppm | |
New Hope Elem Vance County Start Date January 1977 |
4.5 ppm | |
Oak Lane Elem Person County Start Date January 1981 |
4.5 ppm | |
Pine Hall Elerm Stokes County Start Date January 1977 |
4.5 ppm | |
Pinebrook Davie County Start Date January 1972 |
4.5 ppm | |
Piney Creek Alleghany County Start Date January 1973 |
4.5 ppm | |
Reynolds, Nancy Stokes County Start Date January 1977 |
4.5 ppm | |
Riverside Elem Avery County Start Date January 1974 |
4.5 ppm | |
Riverview Ashe County Start Date January 1973 |
4.5 ppm | |
Ronda-Clingman Wilkes County Start Date January 1974 |
4.5 ppm | |
Rose Hill/Magnolia Duplin County Start Date January 1975 |
4.5 ppm | |
Rosman Elem Transylvania County Start Date January 1980 |
4.5 ppm | |
Sandhills Farmlife Moore County Start Date January 1974 |
4.5 ppm | |
Sandy Ridge Elem Stokes County Start Date January 1977 |
4.5 ppm | |
Shoals Elem Surry County Start Date January 1972 |
4.5 ppm | |
Smokey Mt Elem Jackson County Start Date January 1981 |
4.5 ppm | |
South Toe Yancey County Start Date January 1974 |
4.5 ppm | |
Sunnyview Polk County Start Date January 1975 |
4.5 ppm | |
Tipton Hill Mitchell County Start Date January 1975 |
4.5 ppm | |
Topsail Middle Pender County Start Date January 1977 |
4.5 ppm | |
Topsail Primary Pender County Start Date January 1977 |
4.5 ppm | |
Traphill Wilkes County Start Date January 1975 |
4.5 ppm | |
Union Elem Sampson County Start Date January 1972 |
4.5 ppm | |
Valle Crucis Watauga County Start Date January 1973 |
4.5 ppm | |
Wallace Duplin County Start Date January 1975 |
4.5 ppm | |
West Hoke Hoke County Start Date January 1974 |
4.5 ppm | |
West Yadkin Yadkin County Start Date January 1972 |
4.5 ppm | |
Westfield Surry County Start Date January 1972 |
4.5 ppm | |
White Plains Surry County Start Date January 1972 |
4.5 ppm | |
Williamsburg Rockingham County Start Date January 1973 |
4.5 ppm | |
Woodland Elem Person County Start Date January 1980 |
4.5 ppm | |
VIRGINIASchools not easily identifiable |
||
Cumberland Elem Cumberland County Start Date 1980 |
4.5 ppm | |
Cumberland High Cumberland County Start Date 1980 |
4.5 ppm | |
Lee Jackson Matthews County |
4.5 ppm | |
Mathews Intermediate Matthews County |
4.5 ppm | |
Nansemond Correctional Isle of Wight County |
3.4 ppm Natural Level |
|
VERMONT |
||
Charlotte Chittenden County Start Date September 1977 |
4.9 ppm | |
Chelsea Orange County Start Date November 1973 |
4.9 ppm | |
Fairfax Franklin County Start Date May 1973 |
4.9 ppm | |
Fayston Washington County Start Date November 1977 |
4.9 ppm | |
Georgia Franklin County Start Date August 1977 |
4.9 ppm | |
Huntington Chittenden County Start Date January 1974 |
4.9 ppm | |
North Hero Grand Isle County Start Date June 1974 |
4.9 ppm | |
Pownal Bennington County Start Date November 1978 |
4.9 ppm | |
Saxtons River Windham County |
4.9 ppm | |
Sunderland Bennington County Start Date August 1989 |
4.9 ppm | |
Tunbridge Orange County Start Date November 1973 |
4.9 ppm | |
Underhill Center Chittenden County Start Date January 1973 |
4.9 ppm | |
Vershire Orange County Start Date March 1974 |
4.9 ppm | |
Waitsfield Washington County Start Date March 1974 |
4.9 ppm | |
Warren Washington County Start Date April 1974 |
4.9 ppm | |
Washington Orange County Start Date June 1973 |
4.9 ppm | |
West Fairlee Orange County Start Date November 1973 |
4.9 ppm | |
VIRGINIA |
||
Haynesville Correctional Richmond County |
1.9 ppm Natural Level |
|
Nansemond Correctional Isle of Wight |
3.4 ppm Natural Level |
|
WEST VIRGINIA |
||
Geary School Roane County |
4.5 ppm |
The following are naturally-occurring levels in the school’s drinking water:
Naturally-occurring fluoride levels in some schools |
||
School |
Fluoride Level |
|
SOUTH CAROLINA(These are NATURALLY-OCCURRING LEVELS) |
||
Baptist Hill School Charleston County |
2.1 ppm Natural Level |
|
Bells Elem Colleton County |
1.2 ppm Natural Level |
|
C C Blaney Sch Charleston County |
1.9 ppm Natural Level |
|
Cainhoy School Berkeley County |
1.1 ppm Natural Level |
|
Cottageville Day Care Colleton County |
1.6 ppm Natural Level |
|
Cottageville Elem Colleton County |
1.4 ppm Natural Level |
|
Deep Creek School Georgetown County |
2.3 ppm Natural Level |
|
G S Baptist Sch Horry County |
4.0 ppm Natural Level |
|
G S Floyds Elem Horry County |
0.8 ppm Natural Level |
|
G S Floyds Mid Horry County |
1.2 ppm Natural Level |
|
Givhans Elem Dorchester County |
0.8 ppm Natural Level |
|
Green Pond Day Care Colleton County |
1.3 ppm Natural Level |
|
H Timrod Elem Florence County |
1.0 ppm Natural Level |
|
Hannah Elem School Florence County |
1.3 ppm Natural Level |
|
Ivenia Brown Elem Colleton County |
0.9 ppm Natural Level |
|
Jack and Jill Nursery Horry County |
1.6 ppm Natural Level |
|
Lakewood Sch Horry County |
4.8 ppm Natural Level |
|
LCCA Head Start Colleton County |
1.6 ppm Natural Level |
|
Lobeco Head Start Beaufort County |
1.1 ppm Natural Level |
|
Neyles Day Care Colleton County |
1.4 ppm Natural Level |
|
St Paul Academy Charleston County |
2.8 ppm Natural Level |
|
St Paul Primary Clarendon County |
0.8 ppm Natural Level |
|
Socastee Elem Horry County |
3.6 ppm Natural Level |
|
Waccamaw Adult Ed Horry County |
2.2 ppm Natural Level |
|
Whitesville Sch Berkeley County |
2.7 ppm Natural Level |
|
VIRGINIASchools not identifiable |
||
Christchurch School Middlesex County |
2.1 ppm Natural Level |
|
Haynesville Correctional Richmond County |
2.1 ppm Natural Level |
|
Lancaster CT HS Lancaster County |
2.8 ppm Natural Level |
|
Nansemond Correctional Isle of Wight County |
3.4 ppm Natural Level |
|
VIRGINIA |
||
Haynesville Correctional Richmond County |
1.9 ppm Natural Level |
|
Nansemond Correctional Isle of Wight |
3.4 ppm Natural Level |