Look Mom, No Benefits!

[Guest guest]

Look Mom, No Benefits

Vegetarian Times November 1998by Linda and Bill

Bonviehttp://kefir.net/spray/fluoride.htm It's in your water, it's in your

toothpaste. But is fluoride in your best interest? Usually when we' re brushing

our teeth, we're too tired to read the fine print on the toothpaste tube. But if

you haven't noticed the new warning, you might be in for a surprise. " As with

all fluoride toothpastes, keep out of the reach of children under 6 years of

age. If you accidentally swallow more than used for brushing, seek professional

assistance or contact a poison control center immediately. "

Professional assistance? Poison control? Sounds like a more appropriate warning

for household cleaners than fluoride. But what does this imply for the 62

percent of Americans who get a significant amount of fluoride from their water

supply? This has been a hotly debated topic ever since fluoride was first added

to municipal water supplies in the mid-1940s, when studies showed that children

living in areas where the water naturally contained fluoride had a decreased

number of cavities. " Water fluoridation is the single most effective public

health measure we have to prevent tooth decay and improve oral health for a

lifetime, " reads a recent American Dental Association (ADA) press release.

But John R. Lee, M.D., a fluoride toxicity researcher since 1972, says the

" myth " that fluoride fights tooth decay has been perpetuated via " clever

propaganda. " He believes adding fluoride to the water supply was a contrivance

to dispose of waste byproducts from the fertilizer and aluminum industries.

Health officials admit fluoride can be produced as an industrial waste

byproduct, but they insist the chemical is purified before it's added to water.

Back in the '50s and '60s, anti-fluoridation sentiments were dismissed by

government officials as the rantings of extreme right-wing groups. Today,

however, a growing number of doctors and researchers are expressing concern over

public exposure to the chemical, which has led some cities, like Santa Cruz,

Calif., to vote against water fluoridation. Jonathan Wright, M.D., medical

director of the Tahoma Clinic in Kent, Wash., and another vocal critic of

fluoridation explains, " When folks are fully informed [about fluoride], they

usually turn it down. " Even the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has

raised a wary eyebrow, as evidenced by the warning label mandated in mid-1997 as

part of its ongoing review of over-the-counter drugs. (The addition of fluoride

makes toothpaste a drug.)

The more studies that come out, the harder it is to ignore the issue. Even

supporters acknowledge that fluoridation can lead to dental fluorosis, a

condition characterized by white spots on developing teeth. Published studies

have also linked fluoride with bone and neurological damage and lowered IQ

levels in children. " The Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] has recognized

the potential for the fluoride ion to cause adverse health effects and has

established a Maximum Contaminant Level, " says Joyce Donahue, Ph.D., a

toxicologist in the EPA's Office of Water. But Wright claims that even in

minuscule amounts, the chemical accumulates in body tissue and inhibits the

action of an enzyme responsible for repairing damaged DNA, which left alone can

lead to abnormal cell growth and cancer. And as for a study recently published

in the Annals of Internal Medicine suggesting that fluoride may play a role in

managing early osteoporosis, Lee calls the findings nonsense. " The effect of

fluoride on bones is to make them thick with calcium deposits, but [that's] not

the same as real bone. It doesn't mean the bones are stronger, " he says. Adds

Wright, " [Fluoride] is one of the most toxic materials on the planet, and

allowing it to be added to our drinking water is unfathomable. " Even so,

fluoridation of water and toothpaste continues to be endorsed by various health

authorities, including the ADA. A fact sheet put out by that group categorically

denies that fluoride contributes to any heath problems. " Recent reviews of

scientific literature'. have found no evidence of harmful effects from the

ingestion of fluoride at recommended levels. " But here's the rub: There's no way

to know if you or your children are only getting recommended levels. In addition

to the fluoride you inadvertently swallow when brushing, the chemical may be

present in your tap water as well as in juice, soda and other water-based food

products, if they're made in locations where the water is

fluoridated.

All this doesn't necessarily mean you have to turn off your taps and stop

brushing your teeth. You can find non-fluoridated toothpastes in most natural

food stores. You can also avoid dental fluoridation treatments, drink bottled

water or use a reverse-osmosis filtration system. That can be costly if

installed in the home, but many supermarkets have the system and sell water from

it. So there is something to smile about, after all.

For more information, contact your state health service's Department of Public

Drinking Water (listed in the Government blue pages) Or visit www.trufax.org.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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