Show Voluntary fluoride use Dear Editor Nothing seems more frustrating or unnecessary than thana a big dentist bill for parents who have a hard enough time trying to make ends meet It seems impossible though to stop children from eating their favorite sweets Brushing helps if children can do it properly I Fluoride treatments are arc expensive and fluoridated water has become a heated issue lately Some of the alternatives to high tooth decay costs have been suggested strangely enough by those who would benefit most mast from the the costs-the dentists These men are also specialists on the subject Keith Whitmore representing ting the State Division of Health recently approached the Uintah County Board oard of Education with a new program that has been successful in Oregon Students are given an ounce of fluoride once a week to swish around in their mouths for lor a minute The chemical is then spit back Into the cup absorbed by a napkin and disposed Although the process takes only a few lew minutes a week and costs from irom 70 38 cents cent per 1 student per year it has a success ratio of 50 20 percent reduction in cavities None of the fluoride is swallowed so any of the fears expressed against fluoridation dont hold water so to speak When Whitmore talked to the principals he said the dentists in the community are arc not anxious to see the program turn into a fluoride issue To prevent that from happening the program should be made voluntary If parents want their ir children to participate they should send them to school with the necessary money for the program This way taxpayers who dont don't have children in school wont won't have to subsidize the program Parents will still feel they have control over their childs child's welfare since they are areto areto areto to make the decision as to whether their child will participate par par- M Most t parents will realize the benefits derived from the program and will see the small c cost t as a bonus compared to service e they receive Individual fluoride treatments given by a dentist would take a sizable chunk of the family budget Getting cavities filled costs quite a bit and is still painful in spite of all the modern equip equip- ment Teachers would not be too bothered by the swishing exercises if the PTA members took look turns preparing the solution and helped to pass out the little cups it would only take a few minutes and it would even give parents a chance to keep in touch with the school If any parent was not in favor of the fluoride rinse and did not have his child participate the only complaint that could be given is that a few minutes of that childs child's time was wasted each week watching other kids kid swish Charlene Currie RN HN Marilyn Thacker HN RN Uintah Vintah County public Health Nur Nurses os |