The water-causation theory got a gigantic boost in 1923. Maybe there was, as some local residents suggested, an ingredient in the water supply that mottled the teeth? Black was skeptical McKay, though, was intrigued by this theory's prospects. The two researchers were still a long way from determining the cause of Colorado Brown Stain, but McKay had a theory tucked away in the back of his head. Second, they found that teeth afflicted by Colorado Brown Stain were surprisingly and inexplicably resistant to decay. This finding meant that city residents whose permanent teeth had calcified without developing the stains did not risk having their teeth turn brown young children waiting for their secondary set of teeth to erupt, however, were at high risk. First, they showed that mottled enamel (as Black referred to the condition) resulted from developmental imperfections in children's teeth. During that period, he and McKay made two crucial discoveries. If it were only that, it would be of less consequence, but it is a deformity for life."īlack investigated fluorosis for six years, until his death in 1915. This is much more than a deformity of childhood. One does not have to search for it, for it is continually forcing itself on the attention of the stranger by its persistent prominence. I found it prominent in every group of children. "I spent considerable time walking on the streets, noticing the children in their play, attracting their attention and talking with them about their games, etc., for the purpose of studying the general effect of the deformity. When Black arrived in the city, he too was shocked by the prevalence of Colorado Brown Stain in the mouths of native-born residents. Black, who had previously scoffed that it was impossible such a disorder could go unreported in the dental literature, was lured West shortly after the Colorado Springs Dental Society conducted a study showing that almost 90 percent of the city's locally born children had signs of the brown stains. Black agreed to come to Colorado Springs and collaborate with him on the mysterious ailment. McKay's first big break came in 1909, when renowned dental researcher Dr. But McKay persevered and ultimately interested local practitioners in the problem, which was known as Colorado Brown Stain. His first epidemiological investigations were scuttled by a lack of interest among most area dentists. Thus, McKay took up the gauntlet and initiated research into the disorder himself. ![]() ![]() Local residents blamed the problem on any number of strange factors, such as eating too much pork, consuming inferior milk, and drinking calcium-rich water. He found no mention of the brown-stained teeth in any of the dental literature of the day. ![]() McKay searched in vain for information on this bizarre disorder. So severe could these permanent stains be, in fact, sometimes entire teeth were splotched the color of chocolate candy. When he arrived, McKay was astounded to find scores of Colorado Springs natives with grotesque brown stains on their teeth. The two men began joint research and discovered other areas of the country where brown staining of teeth occurred.įluoride research had its beginnings in 1901, when a young dental school graduate named Frederick McKay left the East Coast to open a dental practice in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Green Vardiman Black (l), one of the nation's most eminent dental researchers, to attend 1909 convention where McKay's findings were to be presented. McKay (r) persuaded the Colorado State Dental Association to invite Dr.
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