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January 25th marks the anniversary of the first time a United States city began fluoridating their water supply. The US National Institutes of Health began a study to test the relationship of fluoride and tooth decay and public health. They added fluoride to the water supply in Grand Rapids, Michigan beginning in 1945. Their results were published in 1950 showing a reduction in the number of cavities. Fluoridation became the accepted policy of the US Public Health service in 1951.
Like many of our professional colleagues, we long held a belief that the practice of water fluoridation was highly beneficial and relatively low-risk. Currently, we feel otherwise. We are now convinced that it is of small benefit, and carries an unacceptably large risk.
What changed our thinking so dramatically on this important issue? While reviewing medical studies for a new book, we were shocked to learn about the disturbing fluoride-thyroid connection.
We had been a prevention-oriented doctor-nurse team working together for twenty-five years. We had raised three children together, and had always viewed good dental care as an integral part of a complete health program. After training at Harvard and Walter Reed respectively, Rich worked at the National Institutes of Health and Karilee served as a nursing professor, before we each eventually settled into private practice.
Nothing on this path shook our faith in fluoride. In fact, it was not until we were working with a New York publisher that we really did our homework on this subject. The topic of our book, Thyroid Power (HarperCollins 2001), was the unexplained skyrocketing of thyroid disease and its spin-off epidemics of fatigue, depression, anxiety, infertility, and overweight.
While researching influences on the thyroid gland, we were astounded by the large number of fluoride citations. We were confronted with long lists of articles, from scientists around the world, reporting in medical journals about the harmful effects of fluoride.
My Water's Fluoride
Safe, effective prevention of tooth decay for people of all ages: Know if your water is optimally fluoridated.
*
The 2006 NRC Report on Fluoride in Drinking Water: A Scientific Review of EPA’s Standards*
In 2006, the NRC stated in this report that in developing regulatory standards for high levels of fluoride in drinking water, three adverse health effects warranted consideration: severe enamel (dental) fluorosis from exposure to these high levels between birth and 8 years of age, risk of bone fractures, and severe forms of skeletal fluorosis (a rare condition in the United States) after lifetime exposure.
How does fluoride work to prevent tooth decay?
Fluoride works by stopping or even reversing the tooth decay process. It keeps tooth enamel strong and solid. Tooth decay is caused by certain bacteria in the mouth. When a person eats sugar and other refined carbohydrates, these bacteria produce acid that removes minerals from the surface of the tooth. Fluoride helps to remineralize tooth surfaces and prevents cavities from continuing to form.
On January 7, 2011 the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced new recommendations pertaining to the amount of fluoride currently being used to treat drinking water in nearly two thirds of this country’s water supply. The new recommendations are a remarkable turnabout for Federal Officials following recommendations made by the National Academy of Science (NAS) after their review of the quality of our drinking water. The NAS reports concerns regarding an overexposure of fluoride because of its presence not just in drinking water, but in toothpaste, mouthwash and regular fluoride treatments many American children receive by their dentist. Too much fluoride causes white spotting on the teeth and currently one third of all US children display signs of over exposure to fluoride. This over exposure is known as fluorosis and can lead to more significant health problems. Studies have associated fluorosis with tooth decay, lower IQ, thyroid disorders, and bone damage.
Since the 1800s, fluoride has been a key component in rat poison and insecticides.
Read more: Fluoride in Rat Poison | eHow.com www.ehow.com...
4. Fluoride confuses the immune system and causes it to attack the body’s own tissues, and increases the tumor growth rate in cancer prone individuals.
Alfred Taylor and Nell C. Taylor, “Effect of Sodium Fluoride on Tumor Growth,” Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine, Vol. 119, p. 252 (1965); Sheila Gibson, “Effects of Fluoride on Immune System Function,” Complementary Medical Research, Vol. 6, pp. 111-113 (1992); Peter Wilkinson, “Inhibition of the Immune System With Low Levels of Fluorides,” Testimony before the Scottish High Court in Edinburgh in the Case of McColl vs.
Strathclyde Regional Council, pp. 17723-18150, 19328-19492, and Exhibit 636, (1982); D. W. Allman and M. Benac, “Effect of Inorganic Fluoride Salts on Urine and Cyclic AMP Concentration in Vivo,” Journal of Dental Research, Vol. 55 (Supplement B), p. 523 (1976); S. Jaouni and D. W. Allman, “Effect of Sodium Fluoride and Aluminum on Adenylate Cyclase and Phosphodiesterase Activity,” Journal of Dental Research, Vol. 64, p. 201 (1985)
Prozac is a fluorinated drug called "fluoxetine".
Paxil is a fluorinated drug called "paroxetine" (also called Seroxat, Aropax). These drugs are designed to inhibit the reuptake of serotonin (serotonin reuptake inhibitors - SSRIs) and hence interfere with the biological actions of serotonin, a neurotransmitter.
Both drugs contain fluorine and chloride. Fluoride is present as a '4-fluorophenyl' compound, part of the 'active' ingredient.
Germany:
"Generally, in Germany fluoridation of drinking water is forbidden. The relevant German law allows exceptions to the fluoridation ban on application. The argumentation of the Federal Ministry of Health against a general permission of fluoridation of drinking water is the problematic nature of compuls[ory] medication." (Gerda Hankel-Khan, Embassy of Federal Republic of Germany, September 16, 1999). www.fluoridealert.org...
France:
"Fluoride chemicals are not included in the list [of 'chemicals for drinking water treatment']. This is due to ethical as well as medical considerations." (Louis Sanchez, Directeur de la Protection de l'Environment, August 25, 2000). www.fluoridealert.org...
Belgium:
"This water treatment has never been of use in Belgium and will never be (we hope so) into the future. The main reason for that is the fundamental position of the drinking water sector that it is not its task to deliver medicinal treatment to people. This is the sole responsibility of health services." (Chr. Legros, Directeur, Belgaqua, Brussels, Belgium, February 28, 2000). www.fluoridation.com/c-belgium.htm
Luxembourg:
"Fluoride has never been added to the public water supplies in Luxembourg. In our views, the drinking water isn't the suitable way for medicinal treatment and that people needing an addition of fluoride can decide by their own to use the most appropriate way, like the intake of fluoride tablets, to cover their [daily] needs." (Jean-Marie RIES, Head, Water Department, Administration De L'Environment, May 3, 2000). www.fluoridealert.org/luxembourg.jpeg
Sweden:
"Drinking water fluoridation is not allowed in Sweden...New scientific documentation or changes in dental health situation that could alter the conclusions of the Commission have not been shown." (Gunnar Guzikowski, Chief Government Inspector, Livsmedels Verket -- National Food Administration Drinking Water Division, Sweden, February 28, 2000). www.fluoridation.com/c-sweden.htm
(See statement by Dr. Arvid Carlsson, the Nobel Laureate in Medicine, who helped lead the campaign to prevent fluoridation in Sweden in the late 1970s.)
Denmark:
"We are pleased to inform you that according to the Danish Ministry of Environment and Energy, toxic fluorides have never been added to the public water supplies. Consequently, no Danish city has ever been fluoridated." (Klaus Werner, Royal Danish Embassy, Washington DC, December 22, 1999). www.fluoridation.com/c-denmark.htm
(To read the Danish Ministry of the Environment's reasons for banning fluoridation, click here)
Norway:
"In Norway we had a rather intense discussion on this subject some 20 years ago, and the conclusion was that drinking water should not be fluoridated." (Truls Krogh & Toril Hofshagen, Folkehelsa Statens institutt for folkeheise (National Institute of Public Health) Oslo, Norway, March 1, 2000). www.fluoridation.com/c-norway.htm
Netherlands:
"From the end of the 1960s until the beginning of the 1970s drinking water in various places in the Netherlands was fluoridated to prevent caries. However, in its judgement of 22 June 1973 in case No. 10683 (Budding and co. versus the City of Amsterdam) the Supreme Court (Hoge Road) ruled there was no legal basis for fluoridation. After that judgement, amendment to the Water Supply Act was prepared to provide a legal basis for fluoridation. During the process it became clear that there was not enough support from Parlement [sic] for this amendment and the proposal was withdrawn." (Wilfred Reinhold, Legal Advisor, Directorate Drinking Water, Netherlands, January 15, 2000). www.fluoridation.com/c-netherlands.htm
Finland:
"We do not favor or recommend fluoridation of drinking water. There are better ways of providing the fluoride our teeth need." (Paavo Poteri, Acting Managing Director, Helsinki Water, Finland, February 7, 2000). www.fluoridation.com/c-finland.htm
"Artificial fluoridation of drinking water supplies has been practiced in Finland only in one town, Kuopio, situated in eastern Finland and with a population of about 80,000 people (1.6% of the Finnish population). Fluoridation started in 1959 and finished in 1992 as a result of the resistance of local population. The most usual grounds for the resistance presented in this context were an individual's right to drinking water without additional chemicals used for the medication of limited population groups. A concept of "force-feeding" was also mentioned.
Drinking water fluoridation is not prohibited in Finland but no municipalities have turned out to be willing to practice it. Water suppliers, naturally, have always been against dosing of fluoride chemicals into water." (Leena Hiisvirta, M.Sc., Chief Engineer, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Finland, January 12, 1996.) www.fluoridealert.org/finland.jpeg
Northern Ireland:
"The water supply in Northern Ireland has never been artificially fluoridated except in 2 small localities where fluoride was added to the water for about 30 years up to last year. Fluoridation ceased at these locations for operational reasons. At this time, there are no plans to commence fluoridation of water supplies in Northern Ireland." (C.J. Grimes, Department for Regional Development, Belfast, November 6, 2000). www.fluoridealert.org/northern-ireland.jpeg
Austria:
"Toxic fluorides have never been added to the public water supplies in Austria." (M. Eisenhut, Head of Water Department, Osterreichische Yereinigung fur das Gas-und Wasserfach Schubertring 14, A-1015 Wien, Austria, February 17, 2000). www.fluoridation.com/c-austria.htm
Czech Republic:
"Since 1993, drinking water has not been treated with fluoride in public water supplies throughout the Czech Republic. Although fluoridation of drinking water has not actually been proscribed it is not under consideration because this form of supplementation is considered:
* uneconomical (only 0.54% of water suitable for drinking is used as such; the remainder is employed for hygiene etc. Furthermore, an increasing amount of consumers (particularly children) are using bottled water for drinking (underground water usually with fluor)
* unecological (environmental load by a foreign substance)
* unethical ("forced medication")
* toxicologically and phyiologically debateable (fluoridation represents an untargeted form of supplementation which disregards actual individual intake and requirements and may lead to excessive health-threatening intake in certain population groups; [and] complexation of fluor in water into non biological active forms of fluor." (Dr. B. Havlik, Ministerstvo Zdravotnictvi Ceske Republiky, October 14, 1999). www.fluoridealert.org/czech.jpeg
Reverse Osmosis Filtration
This is used to purify several types of bottled water (not all), so some bottled waters are unfluoridated. Reverse osmosis systems are generally unaffordable for personal use.
Activated Alumina Defluoridation Filter
These filters are used in locales where fluorosis is prevalent. They are relatively expensive (lowest price I saw was $30/filter) and require frequent replacement, but do offer an option for home water filtration.
Distillation Filtration
There are commercially available distillation filters that can be purchased to remove fluoride from water. On a related note: When looking at bottled water, keep in mind that 'distilled water' does not imply that a product is suitable for drinking water and other undesirable impurities may be present.
# Brita, Pur, and most other filters.
Some websites about fluoride removal state otherwise, but I checked the product descriptions on the companies' websites to confirm that fluoride is left in the water.
# Boiling Water
This will concentrate the fluoride rather than reduce it.
# Freezing Water
Freezing water does not affect the concentration of fluoride.
Bottled water contains disinfection byproducts, fertilizer residue, and pain medication
This is the online version of NRDC's March 1999 petition to the FDA and attached report on the results of our four-year study of the bottled water industry, including its bacterial and chemical contamination problems. The petition and report find major gaps in bottled water regulation and conclude that bottled water is not necessarily safer than tap water. The online version contains all of the report's text, tables and figures; it does not include the accompanying Technical Report or additional attachments to the petition.
Bottled water is the world's fastest growing beverage, but consumers would be better served by simply turning on the tap, asserts an environmental group.
Bottlers of water generally capitalize on consumer concerns about municipal water supplies, creating demand for their product via an association with pristine environs. Some bottled waters, however, differ from tap water merely by being distributed in bottles rather than through pipes, according to a report commissioned by Switzerland-based World Wildlife Fund International.
"Bottled water may be no safer or healthier than tap water, while selling for up to 1,000 times the price," the report said.
The reason, according to the environmental group, is an absence of standards regulating bottled water. "In fact," said the report, "there are more standards regulating tap water in Europe and the United States than those applied to the bottled water industry."
Originally posted by amazed
Yes, you are right, but unfortunately most people don't believe it.
When I have tried to tell people about it, most of them say "but the gubment wouldn't lie to us", it's good for us our teeth.
So, my family and I try to stay away from it as much as possible, though it is impossible to completely remove it from our "diet" as it is in the school water and we do sometimes eat out at restaurants.
Good Info, and thanks.
Harm None
Peace
Since the 1800s, fluoride has been a key component in rat poison and insecticides. Read more: Fluoride in Rat Poison | eHow.com www.ehow.com...
1
Fluoride-containing compounds are so diverse that it is not possible to generalize on their toxicity, which depends on their reactivity and structure, and in the case of salts, their solubility and ability to release fluoride ions.
Originally posted by Tayesin
From what I can remember of an article I read many years ago, the U.S. Army experimented with high dose Flouride tablets on soldiers some time in the 50's (?) The results were that the soldiers became more malleable, less self-directed and more prone to following orders that would get them killed.
So what's a good reason for government's to mass medicate the population with Flouride when the only reward is an improvement of one half of one tooth surface per child according to studies?
Long term control of the masses.
What, exactly, is the government's incentive to put fluoride in the water if it is really harmful? Wouldn't that be less people to pay the taxes that keep them afloat?
Originally posted by adeclerk
I feel like the whole 'flouride being really bad for you' conspiracy just another hoax/scaremongering tactic by Alex Jones, et al to sell books?
What, exactly, is the government's incentive to put fluoride in the water if it is really harmful? Wouldn't that be less people to pay the taxes that keep them afloat?
Originally posted by boncho
reply to post by Swills
Since the 1800s, fluoride has been a key component in rat poison and insecticides. Read more: Fluoride in Rat Poison | eHow.com www.ehow.com...
1
Fluoride-containing compounds are so diverse that it is not possible to generalize on their toxicity, which depends on their reactivity and structure, and in the case of salts, their solubility and ability to release fluoride ions.
The entire OP is all fluff. Saying that flouride is in rat poison is like saying we shouldn't consume oxygen because when mixed with carbon it can kill us.
Carbonous Oxide
edit on 22-5-2011 by boncho because: (no reason given)
Originally posted by Seiko
reply to post by adeclerk
What, exactly, is the government's incentive to put fluoride in the water if it is really harmful? Wouldn't that be less people to pay the taxes that keep them afloat?
It gives them somewhere to dispose of toxic waste. It is an industrial byproduct.
Why would they do this? Why would they tell you that vitamins are bad, and only a chemical can help your body? I've been mystified b y that question and others like it for years.
On a different note, my toothpaste does not contain fluoride, nor does it have a poison control center warning on it.
Active Ingredient; Sodium Fluoride
Warning: do not swallow
Originally posted by Swills
Originally posted by boncho
reply to post by Swills
Rat poison is just ONE example of why fluoride is bad to INGEST. But, whenever you're ready, feel free READ the entire post. Thanks, management
Rat poison may be mixed with fluoride or fluorine to change its chemical composition (fluoridate it) but even if pure fluoride existed in rat poison, the amount of fluoride would be thousands of times higher than the amount one would ingest from food and tap water in the span of years.