Fluoride use, especially when added to public drinking water, is perhaps one of the most debatable topics in dentistry. Many opponents to water fluoridation balk at the advice of The American Dental Association and other prominent organizations that support and even advocate for water fluoridation.
With the intent of preventing tooth decay, fluoride is added to water to help prevent cavities, but when you turn on the tap, most people have no clue whether or not their water has been fluoridated. Most people don't drink bottled water at home or use a water filtration system. The simple fact remains that most of us, including myself, drink water straight from the tap without any additional filtration. What are we using water for besides drinking and replenishing our bodies? Sounds like a dumb question, yes, but I promise you its relevant. We cook with it, clean with it, and some of us prepare beverages with it, for instance juice and infant formula. Yes, don't be shocked, people actually do use tap water to prepare their infant formula. Guess what? I did the very same thing with my first child. But now I'm siting here fuming because of a press release that was sent to me recently. Being a naive first-time parent in 2003, I have no idea that fluoridated water was not an acceptable source to prepare infant formula with. Thank you American Dental Association, for informing dentists in 2006 to advise their patients about the risks associated with fluoridated water and formula preparation, but I didn't learn this until now... and it's 2010. What are the risks associated with overexposure to fluoride? Dental fluorosis, which causes the enamel of the tooth to discolor and weaken, is an obvious one. Opponents to fluoride will no doubt comment below and name the other risks associated with overexposure to fluoride. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 32% of American children have dental fluorosis.
The press release cites a study conducted by Steven M. Levy, DDS, MPH, which was featured in The Journal of the American Dental Association. According to the study "Fluoride intakes during each of the first 4 years were individually significantly related to fluorosis on maxillary central incisors, with the first year most important," and that "Infant formulas reconstituted with higher fluoride water can provide 100 to 200 times more fluoride than breastmilk, or cow's milk." Some 200 million Americans live in communities that fluoridate their water. How many of these people are parents? I'm assuming a lot of them. If they are not visiting the dentist, which is apparently why their water is fluoridated in the first place, how will parents and caregivers know that they could be putting their children at risk for dental fluorosis? Maybe this explains why my six-year-old developed teeth that have compromised enamel...
NYSCOF first reported about this in the year 2000:
“There is substantial evidence that fluoridated water, fluoride supplements, infant formulas, and fluoride toothpastes are risk factors for fluorosis,” alone and together, reports Ohio State University researcher, Dr. Ana K. Mascarenhas. Risk factors for Dental Fluorosis: A review of the recent literature,” in Pediatric Dentistry, 4/22/2000.Mascarenhas advisesd:· Parents should use ready-to-feed formulas or mix non-fluoridated bottled water into formula concentrate.
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NYSCOF news releases in 2000, 2004, 2009 and 2010 revealed many studies linking fluorosis to infant foods mixed with fluoridated water. You need to wonder why the American Dental Association is protecting fluoride’s image rather than children’s well-being.
“Some risk of increasing fluorosis may be attributed to the ingestion
of powdered infant formula reconstituted with fluoridated
water,” (Pizzo et al Clinical Oral Investigations, Feb 2007)
At least eleven other studies link reconstituted formula with
fluorosis.(24a-k).
References: http://tinyurl.com/FluorosisStudies
Water Fluoridation and the Age-Specific factor
Both osteosarcoma and hip fracture incidence are significantly linked to water fluoridated at the “optimal” 1 ppm. In three published studies, osteosarcoma is linked to rapidly growing bone of children rather than to adult bone.
Ph.D. dissertation student Elise Bassin, using the data collected by her Harvard professor Chester Douglass, first eliminated his data for adult males and females and then by looking at exposures for each year of age was able to uncover a 700% increased incidence of osteosarcoma for males exposed to fluoridated water (1 ppm ) between age 5 and 10.
“The evaluation of age-specific effects distinguishes our study from the other investigations. Rothman (37) has warned that failure to identify the appropriate time window for exposure may result in misclassification which can adversely affect the ability to detect an association.”
Bassin (2006) Cancer Causes and Control 17: 421-8.
Advances in Dental Research 8(1);5-14, June, 1994 “Intake and Metabolism of Fluoride”
Overall, an average of 86.8% of the dose was retained by the infants, which is about 50% higher than would be expected for adults. They concluded that “…the pharmacokinetics of fluoride in infants reveal(s) a completely different pattern compared to what has been found in adults.” There is a clear need for more information about the renal handling and general metabolism of fluoride in young children and the elderly.”
Water Fluoridation and the Age-Specific factor
Both osteosarcoma and hip fracture incidence are significantly linked to water fluoridated at the “optimal” 1 ppm. In three published studies, osteosarcoma is linked to rapidly growing bone of children rather than to adult bone.
Ph.D. dissertation student Elise Bassin, using the data collected by her Harvard professor Chester Douglass, first eliminated his data for adult males and females and then by looking at exposures for each year of age was able to uncover a 700% increased incidence of osteosarcoma for males exposed to fluoridated water (1 ppm ) between age 5 and 10.
“The evaluation of age-specific effects distinguishes our study from the other investigations. Rothman (37) has warned that failure to identify the appropriate time window for exposure may result in misclassification which can adversely affect the ability to detect an association.”
Bassin (2006) Cancer Causes and Control 17: 421-8.
Advances in Dental Research 8(1);5-14, June, 1994 “Intake and Metabolism of Fluoride”
Overall, an average of 86.8% of the dose was retained by the infants, which is about 50% higher than would be expected for adults. They concluded that “…the pharmacokinetics of fluoride in infants reveal(s) a completely different pattern compared to what has been found in adults.” There is a clear need for more information about the renal handling and general metabolism of fluoride in young children and the elderly.”
Lead exposure is another important issue fluoridation increases. H2SiF6 product used is very leaching for lead from brass, solder and copper pipe and corrosive also at 1ppm. The Maas 2007 and Coplan 2007 bench testing proved new disinfectant chloramine made fluoride many times more leaching and corrosive. Washington Dc Nov 1 2000 switched to chloramine and had a lead disaster but did not inform the citizens until 3 years later. Not until 2004 was it under control but 25,000 homes got bottled water and filters for a year and many warnings when it was leaked to the Post. The max for lead is 15ppb but levels were hundreds and thousands times over that off the meters.
The Masters Copland 1999 Dartmouth study showed blood lead levels for 150,000 plus kids were twice as likey over the danger limit of 10 when fluoridated with FSA . FSA is the raw toxic waste acid collected from smokestack pollution scrubbers at phosphate plants. It is a sludge of many toxins as the mines also produce uranium. China is now providing product with major contamination problems causing malfunctions of plant equipment admitted the CDC.
I have to take issue with the problems of using infant formula made with tap water. The only place I would concern myself is somewhere that had too much natural fluoride in the water, and should be taken out by the city. Fluorosis doesn’t make the tooth more brittle – it discolors it. This is where we get the term “Colorado Brown Spot”. Besides, the amount of fluoride in the water is or should be at a concentration of NO MORE than .7 ppm (parts per million). That is hardly enough to cause fluorosis , even in an infant, especially since most fluoridated water is closer to .3 ppm. As a dental professional I have to say I hardly see where the fear of problems should prevent use of tap water. Filtered would be better , yes, but more for all the OTHER things in the tap water
Thanks for your comment, Melanie but I have to disagree with you. The American Dental Association advises against using fluoridated tap water when mixing infant formula: http://www.ada.org/4052.aspx. They are quite clear when they state that, ” The smaller size and weight of babies’ bodies mean they need less of certain things than older children and adults. By adding water with fluoride to powdered or liquid concentrate infant formula, babies under one year old may be getting more fluoride than they need. In some cases, getting more fluoride than is needed might lead to a condition called enamel fluorosis.” Enough said…
My kids passed the teenage. In 2010, I am learning this “Do Not Use Fluoridated Water When Mixing Infant Formula”, what I did for my 3 kids. I wonder how much damage is caused.
While I always try to maintain an open mind, I have trouble accepting references that are impossible to find doing a typical literature search through my university’s significant data base.
Perhaps the person leaving these references does not know how to cite their references, but if you don’t even know how to correctly cite a journal reference how can you expect others to trust your interpretation of the material?
The reality is, errors in the types of statistical analysis that are applied to the research contain errors 60% of the time in respectable, peer-reviewed journals. If you’re not an epidemiologist or a statistician, the likelihood of you being able to accurately assess the statistical analysis is questionable. Just because the researchers tell you what they concluded, does not mean they are correct.
Finally, the fluoride debate is longstanding and will continue to invite controversy for many decades to come. I have raised my child to adulthood without any fluorosis, despite having mixed my powdered formula with tap water that was fluoridated. I am also a dental health professional who has witnessed the dental health effects following the collapse of community water fluoridation. The bottom line – these guidelines considered the fact that the infant formula already contained fluoride and therefore the water fluoridation would potentially exacerbate its effect. So if you’re worried – don’t use fluoridated water (not all bottled water is non-fluoridated, so read the label).