Joseph Foster

Research Topic

The History of Fluoridation in the UK.

My research concerns the relationship between scientific authority and misinformation in the UK, within the context of the continuing debates around fluoridation. Fluoridation is the practice of adding (usually) sodium fluoride to the water, with the aim of reducing the rate of dental caries suffered by the target population. The majority of historical research on the topic of fluoridation has focused on the USA, where the first artificial fluoridation schemes began, but there has been very little work studying the reception of the practice in the British Isles.

By focusing on the campaigns of pressure groups and individuals, I seek to show that 'misinformation' covered a wide spectrum of opinions, and that the history of resistance to fluoridation in the UK cannot be fully understood by applying the experiences of other countries.

I graduated with a first-class BA in History at Oxford (2023), and I was awarded an MSc in the History of Science, Medicine and Technology (2024), during which I wrote my dissertation on the role played by dental mechanics in the development of post-war dental services, and the role of the British Army in promoting dental care amongst the British people.

Supervisor: Mark Harrison and Matthew Landrus