The debate over whether or not fluoride should be added to the public water supply erupted earlier this week in Walker, Louisiana. According to 2theadvocate.com, some residents of the town, located outside Baton Rouge, are opposed to the addition of fluoride to their drinking water. Facing heavy opposition, Mayor Bobby Font remains committed to educating residents on the benefits of fluoride. The date has yet to be determined, as to when the town will begin their water fluoridation program.
Water fluoridation is a very sensitive issue, because most dental experts agree that fluoride is safe for use. Research indicates that the rate of cavities in areas where the water is fluoridated decreases significantly compared to areas where fluoride is not added to the water -- but does that outweigh the risks involved with fluoride use? Not too long ago, I asked my readers if they thought water should be fluoridated. Most respondents were very passionate against water fluoridation. Many believe that it causes health concerns ranging from dental fluorosis to neurological disorders. Others believe that fluoride is a beneficial additive to the water supply.
I want to revisit the issue, and ask you again: Do You Think Fluoride Should be Added to Public Drinking Water?
Since the professionals’ statement opposed to fluoridation ( http//professionals.fluorideaction.net ) was first issued (Aug 2007), the following occurred:
– Approximately, 80 US communities rejected fluoridation in 2008 & 2009
– The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment,Canada’s leading voice on environmental health issues, released a statement opposing fluoridation.
– May 2009, Great Lakes United (GLU) supports the end of water fluoridation. GLU is made up organizations representing environmentalists, conservationists, hunters and anglers, labor unions, community groups, and citizens of the United States, Canada, and First Nations and Tribes.
– The National Kidney Foundation dropped its fluoridation support replacing it with this caution: “Individuals with CKD [Chronic Kidney Disease] should be notified of the potential risk of fluoride exposure.”
– Researchers reporting in the Oct 6 2007 British Medical Journal indicate that fluoridation never was proven safe or effective and may be unethical.
– “A qualitative review of …studies found a consistent and strong association between the exposure to fluoride and low IQ,” concluded Tang el al., in “Fluoride and Children’s Inte lligence: A Meta-analysis” inBiological Trace Element Researc
– Scientific American editors wrote in January 2008, “Some recent studies suggest that over-consumption of fluoride can raise the risks of disorders affecting teeth, bones, the brain and the thyroid gland”
– Dr. A. K. Susheela, a leading fluoride expert, explains in a video why US physicians overlook fluoride as a possible cause of diseases commonly caused by fluoride. http://tinyurl.com/Susheela
– A study in the Fall 2008 Journal of Public Health Dentistry reveals that cavity-free teeth have little to do with fluoride intake.Researchers report, “The benefits of fluoride are mostly topical…while fluorosis is clearly more dependent on fluoride intake.”
– Research published in Biological Trace Element Research (April 2009). indicates that blood fluoride levels were significantly higher in patients with osteosarcoma than in control groups. (13) Osteosarcoma, a rare bone cancer, occurs mostly in children and young adults
– Children’s cavity rates are similar whether water is fluoridated or not, according to data published in the July 2009 Journal of the American Dental Association by dentist J.V. Kumar of the NY State Health Department .
– All infant formula, whether concentrated or not, contain fluoride at levels that can discolor teeth – even organic, according to research published in the October 2009 Journal of the American Dental Association.
A Tennessee State legislator, Joey Hensley, who is also an MD is urging all Tennessee Water Districts to stop fluoridation, reported a Tennessee newspaper on 11/29/08. At least 30 Tennessee water districts have already complied with his request.(6)
On 1/5/09, the Burlington Board of Health recommended that Burlington cease fluoridation because fluoridation can harm some people.
On 1/6/09, a Canadian town, Drayton, stopped fluoridation, not to save money, but because it was in the best interests of residents, said the Mayor.
July 21, 2009, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada legislators rejected the hard push for fluoridation.
The Arkansas Oral Health Director is accused of giving eight “false or misleading statements” on fluoridation to an Arkansas legislative Committee.
Signers to the FAN statement include:
• Arvid Carlsson, Nobel Laureate for Physiology or Medicine, 2000
• Vyvyan Howard, MD, PhD, Immediate Past President, International Society of Doctors for the Environment (ISDE)
• Ingrid Eckerman, MD, MPH, President, Swedish Doctors for the Environment (LFM), Stockholm, Sweden
• Raul Montenegro, PhD, Right Livelihood Award 2004 (known as the Alternative Nobel Prize), President of FUNAM, Professor of Evolutionary Biology, National University of Cordoba, Argentina
• The current President and six past Presidents of the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology
• Three scientists from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Headquarters Union in Washington D.C.
* William Marcus, PhD, Former chief toxicologist of the EPA Water Division, Boyds, MD
• Three members of the National Research Council committee who wrote the landmark 2006 report: Fluoride in Drinking Water: A Scientific Review of EPA’s Standards (Hardy Limeback, PhD, DDS; Robert L. Isaacson, PhD; Kathleen M. Thiessen, PhD)
• The Board of Directors, American Academy of Environmental Medicine
• Two advisory board members of the UK government sponsored “York Review”
• Andy Harris, MD, former national president, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Salem, OR
• Theo Colborn, PhD, co-author, Our Stolen Future
• Lynn Margulis, PhD, a recipient of the National Medal of Science
• Ken Cook and Richard Wiles, President and Executive Director, Environmental Working Group (EWG)
• Ron Cummins, Director, Organic Consumers Association
• Magda Aelvoet, MD, Former Minister of Public Health, Leuven, BELGIUM
• Doug Everingham, former Federal Health Minister (1972-75), Australia
• Peter Montague, PhD, Director of Environmental Health Foundation
• Ted Schettler, MD, Science Director, Science and Environmental Health Network
• Stephen Lester, Science Director, Center for Health, Environment, and Justice
• Lois Gibbs, Executive Director, Center for Health, Environment, and Justice, Goldman Prize Winner (1990), Falls Church, VA
• FIVE Goldman Prize winners (2006, 2003, 1997, 1995, 1990)
• Sam Epstein, MD, author, “Politics of Cancer” and Chairman, Cancer Prevention Coalition
• Pat Costner, retired Senior Scientist, Greenpeace International
• Jay Feldman, Executive Director, Beyond Pesticides
• Sandra Duffy, Board President, Consumers for Dental Choice
• Joseph Mercola, Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, http://www.mercola.com, Chicago, IL
• Michael W. Fox, DSc, PhD, BVM, MRCVS (former vice president of The Humane Society of the US, former vice president of Humane Society International and the author of more than 40 adult and children’s books on animal care, animal behavior and bioethics), http://www.twobitdog.com/DrFox/, Minneapolis, MN
• Leo Cashman, Executive Director of DAMS (Dental Amalgam Mercury Syndrome)
• Chris Bryson, author, The Fluoride Deception
• Environmental leaders from over 30 countries, and
• Legendary folksinger, songwriter and activist, Pete Seeger
Nobel Prize winner, Dr. Arvid Carlsson, says, “Fluoridation is against all principles of modern pharmacology. It’s really obsolete.”
Fluoride jeopardizes health – even at low levels deliberately added to public water supplies, according to data presented in a 2006 National Academy of Sciences’ (NAS) National Research Council (NRC) report. Fluoride poses risks to the thyroid gland, diabetics, kidney patients, high water drinkers and others and can severely damage children’s teeth. At least three panel members advise avoiding fluoridated water.
“The NRC fluoride report dramatically changed scientific understanding of fluoride’s health risks,” says Paul Connett, PhD, Executive Director, Fluoride Action Network. “Government officials who continue to promote fluoridation must testify under oath as to why they are ignoring the powerful evidence of harm in the NRC report,” he added.
The Professionals’ Statement also references:
– The new American Dental Association policy recommending infant formula NOT be prepared with fluoridated water.
– The CDC’s concession that the predominant benefit of fluoride is topical not systemic.
– CDC data showing that dental fluorosis, caused by fluoride over-exposure, now impacts one third of American children.
– Major research indicating little difference in decay rates between fluoridated and non-fluoridated communities.
– A Harvard study indicating a possible link between fluoridation and bone cancer.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG), a DC watchdog, revealed that a Harvard professor concealed the fluoridation/bone cancer connection for three years. EWG President Ken Cook states, “It is time for the US to recognize that fluoridation has serious risks that far outweigh any minor benefits, and unlike many other environmental issues, it’s as easy to end as turning off a valve at the water plant.”
Adverse health effects of fluoride: http://www.FluorideAction.Net/health
Europe is now 98% fluoride free. They and most of the world caught on to this fluoridation hoax years ago. Adding fluoride to drinking water is an absolute waste of money. People only drink 1/2 % of the water they use. The remaining 99 1/2% simply goes down the drain. I guess we expect government programs to be inefficient and wasteful, but this sets a new low in waste of taxpayers money. Giving away fluoride tablets free to whoever wants them would be much cheaper. The only benefits of putting it in drinking water go to the industries which can sell their toxic waste fluoride to communities.
When the fertilitzer companies, and others, clean their smokestacks, they bag the waste fluoride chemical, ( Hydrofluorosilicic Acid), which contains lead, mercury, arsenic, etc. and sell it to communities to add to our water systems. The Government tries to convince us that it does not harm us if it is diluted enough, but hundreds of research studies prove otherwise.
Those promoting fluoridation simply refuse to read the current research showing it is ineffective and dangerous to health. Go to (www.fluoridealert.org) and read several scientific articles.
Read the letter from Dr. Hardy Limeback ( DDS, PhD Biochemistry) — Head, Preventive Dentistry, University of Toronto entitled “Why I am now officially opposed to adding fluoride to drinking water”
He was the principal research advisor to the Canadian Dental Asociation for over 10 years in promoting fluoridation. His letter is an apology to other dentists and the public.
Dr. Limeback includes over 140 Research studies, including:
Increased risk of bone cancer — 13 studies
Lead, arsenic, radium contaminants causing toxic water — 10 studies
Link with fluoride and other cancer — 12 studies
Fluoride causes birth defects — 5
Fluoride affects the immune systems — 12
Fluoride is neurotoxic (brain, nerves, lowering IQ) — 11
Etc.
Also see the petition signed by over 2700 professionals opposing fluoridation.
The fluoride used in water fluoridation is fluorosilicic acid – waste from phosphate fertilizer factory chimneys. This is not of pharmaceutical grade, unlike that added to toothpaste. It is very different to natural calcium fluoride. Fluoride is more poisonous than lead and only slightly less so than arsenic. The American Dental Assoc. now warns that babies’ powdered milk should NOT be made up using fluoridated water and that babies should have no fluoride until they are over a year old. How will this be avoided if it is added to tap water?
All foods made with water will contain it and, unlike chlorine, fluoride cannot be boiled away – it just becomes more concentrated.
All of the prior comments were 100% correct. Unmentioned was the chilling fact that for 25 years the headquarters union of scientists in Washington DC have fought EPA management and congress to halt fluoridation. This happened after they discovered altered documents and ignored studies showing little benefit and no proven safety. They were willing to walk out if fluoride was not removed from water in their office building. They even tried to sue to halt because of SDWA violations in 1986. This is not idle chatter but hard science from scientists qualified to evaluate toxins in risk assesments. Additional EPA unions have joined this fight to halt fluoridation and in 2005 11 EPA unions asked congress to immediate halt of fluoridation. No response yet. By Feb 29 2008 it was 19 EPA unions with 10,000 professionals. This is far from a lone wacko blowing the whistle but few have listened in the press or dental associations much less Management of government health services. Blind promotion is the norm with little concern of total intake of all sources much less individual susceptable risk factors which are many. All of this is in the 1993 US TOX profile or 2006 NRC with over 1100 studies on 507 pages.
Unmentioned is the fact the NRC had a 12-0 vote the current max is not protective at 4.0ppm and should be revised downward. That is what the 1985 battle was over when a 7-2 vote said no data showed it safe to raise the Max from 2.4 to 4.0ppm. The findings were by magic altered to claim the opposite with knowledge of EPA management or worse. The EPA unions professionals document the proper MAX is ZERO just like arsenic and lead as other cumulative toxins.
It is logical fluoridation should be halted until the safe goal is proven with real science not policy statements.
Dentists are not the proper source of advise on ingested fluoride toxicity as by training and regulation they are not qualified. By law the SDWA must protect the most susceptable of even the risk of medical effect. This has never been done or even attempted as only one source was even considered at low intake only.
Babies have by far the greatest intake per body weight with fluoridated tap water for formula. Because of fast growth rate they are even at greater risk. Their kidneys reject very little fluoride. I have seen 14% instead of the normal 50% for healthy adults. Seniors at 50 often reject less and the 30 million kidney disease people much less. People on dialysis often have blood fluoride levels 4 times normal but rarely are warned of the known risk. I have visited many dialysis clinics giving then the data with no change to inform those at risk happening. Informed consent rarely happens.
Fumigation with Profume is the newest source of super high fluoride content in treated foods., Storage facilities and food processing plants are fumigated with food exposed and are allowed levels such as 70ppm for any processed grain product(range 70-130ppm). Dried eggs are the highest at 900ppm which is not a typo. This is Russian Roulet as you have no way of knowing what was treated. Some batches have even exceeded the Max but of course few are tested. Very few know of this new source besides the many fluoride pesticides and herbicides used unmentioned also. Dow alone produces 60 fluoride based farm products. Only a fool would believe it really only is in the water. Yet we are lead to believe that and it is all good and safe for everyone with everyone benefits. That is impossible for any uncontrolled dose chemical toxin. The last CDC data actually showed 49.42% with dental fluorosis. Higher in blacks with double rates of damage and more severe then whites. The CDC again refused to tell the public this even after ethics charges again in 2007. I thought their goal was to protect and serve. They are experts of cut and paste but not real answers so much they are a waste of time after years of tying. I still expect more.
I find it funny that people try to discredit the fact that dentists research the benefits of fluoride and you feel that they are not qualified sources…I very much doubt any of you are EPA certified scientist who have researched the facts yourselves. Most likely all your hysterical facts were taught to you via YOUTUBE…. Fearmongers are all you are.
Chase,
You must be kidding. The above posts quote about
50 qualified EPA certified scientists who all endorse what you call hysterical facts and fear mongering. Even the dentists you are defending say flouride is bad for infants.
Only you, Dow and all the government hacks who are angling for post-government career jobs with Dow and their lobbyists are supporting flouridation.
A few years ago, the person who first told me to AVOID fluoride was my dentist! My orthodontist ALSO told me to look for fluoride-free toothpaste, because it’s not good for you. NOT ONE SINGLE STUDY has shown that fluoride is effective when you DRINK it. Common sense would tell you that if it is killing everything in your mouth, what is it doing to the inside of your body? Not only common sense, but studies that haven’t been funded by the American Dental Association will tell you as well, especially in regards to the thyroid, just do some research as I did and many people have. When scientists, professors, and other professionals are telling you to be aware of fluoride and it’s effects on the body, what do they have to gain? What did my dentist have to gain by putting himself at risk of being fired trying to educate patients? The use of fluoride should be left up to the individual.
Fluoride is useful topically. Just make sure you never swallow the stuff.
In doing some volunteer dentistry down in Mexico, I worked in one village that had way too much fluoride in their water supply. Often a problem in very hot climates with low rainfall.
Their teeth were brown and mottled but tremendously strong.
The older ones were all short in height with bad posture and bad skin. The forty year olds looked 60, and the 60 year olds looked ancient.
My point? Excessive fluoride has been found to be a nasty aging factor.
You state that: “Many believe that it causes health concerns ranging from dental fluorosis”. Of course it causes dental FLUOROSIS”, nothing else (other than too much fluoride) does. Clearly by making such a statement you haven’t researched the issue very much.
Have you looked at all the European countries that banned fluoridation back in the 60s & 70s, who still have better dental health than we do? Obviously it is not necessary.
What other medicine or drug or vitamin is water-dispensed? It makes no sense even if it is necessary to do it in that way-because some people will get too little, and some people will get too much. The dose makes the poison, and you just have to read the back of a toothpaste tube to see that fluoride in large amounts is dangerous.