Updated: 2/24/2020
The fluoride controversy has raged for years, and no one can seem to come to a consensus. Recently, however, both the American Dental Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officially announced that fluoride could be detrimental to your teeth and also your overall health, especially among small children.
An ADA article says this:
Results suggest that prevalence of mild dental fluorosis could be reduced by avoiding ingestion of large quantities of fluoride from reconstituted powdered concentrate infant formula and fluoridated dentifrice.
The CDC website says this:
Recent evidence suggests that mixing powdered or liquid infant formula concentrate with fluoridated water on a regular basis may increase the chance of a child developing…enamel fluorosis.
Both sites include positive views on fluoride and its dental uses, but they also include warnings. Joseph Mercola on LewRockwell.com had some interesting comments on the topic:
Dental fluorosis results in white and brown spots on your teeth. It is only caused by fluoride – typically due to ingesting too much fluoride during your developing years, from birth to about 8 years of age. According to the CDC, about one-third of U.S. children aged 12 to 15 years have very mild to mild forms of enamel fluorosis on their teeth.
Promoters of fluoridation say that these markings are “just cosmetic,” but it can also be an indication that the rest of your body, such as your bones and the rest of your organs, including your brain, has been exposed to too much fluoride also.
…
In other words, if fluoride is having a detrimental, visual effect on the surface of your teeth, you can be virtually guaranteed that it’s also damaging something else inside your body, such as your bones.
Bone is living tissue that is constantly being replaced through cellular turnover. Bone building is a finely balanced, complicated process. Fluoride has been known to disrupt this process ever since the 1930s.
…
The United States is one of only eight countries in the entire developed world that fluoridates more than 50 percent of its water supply. It is added under the guise that it helps prevent and control tooth decay …
This is in spite of the fact that there never been any demonstrated difference in tooth decay between countries with fluoridated and non-fluoridated water, and no difference between states that have a high- or low percentage of their water fluoridated.
Even promoters of fluoridation concede that the major benefits are topical; fluoride works from the outside of the tooth, not from inside of your body, so why swallow it? (Taken from the article entitled “CDC and ADA Now Advise to Avoid Using Fluoride”)
Mercola posits that the key to eliminating the fluoride from our drinking water is to first convince Canada, which already has a much lower rate of fluoridated water than the United States. He thinks America will then follow suit.
Excessive fluoride consumption can cause fluorosis, which mottles teeth and could also potentially cause some internal bone damage. Fluoride in water is one of the top issues today. It appears that now the ADA is saying that the amount of fluoride flushed into our regular drinking water would be considered excessive.
What do you think?
Do you think Mercola’s argument is valid? Should America stop flushing fluoride into the drinking water, or do you think the amount of fluoride in water is negligible? What do you think should be done about the issue? Will you change anything you’re doing in light of this information?
Leave us a comment and let us know your opinion on the issue.
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In Lubbock the water is already naturally flouridated and yet the water has to have flouride added to it… some government rule.. the result? Anyone born and raised there has stains on their teeth.
Fluoridated toothpaste allows freedom of choice. However, fluoride does get absorbed the bloodstream via the mouth membranes and involunary swallowing.
Modern science indicates that ingesting fluoride does not reduce tooth decay but does contribute to fluoride’s adverse effects including bone disease, because fluoride builds up in the bones – no matter how little or how much is ingested. There is no dispute that too much fluoride weakens and damages bones. Putting fluoride into public water supplies, a drug with side effects, is a poor way of regulating an individual’s daily dose.
What do you think about fluoride in toothpaste or mouthwash?
Ive been in the dental field for 8 years, and I have seen the advantages of communities with fluoridated water, and the disadvantages of communities without fluoridated water. What the article says about over fluoridating is something I agree with: if you are going to give your child fluoride, it needs to be in moderation, and discussed with a dentist… I did see a lot of decay in the area that did not have fluoride in the water, but I also saw a lack of parent involvement and knowledge in their child’s dental health. Also, what it says about there not being studies to prove the amount of tooth decay in the US bs counties without fluoride: there are so many factors involved with that… You’d have to compare diets and readiness of dental care.
Bah… I wrote more than I wanted to. Hope that helps!
Thanks for the Info Renee. I dont think you can write too much! And I think you are right that there are many thing that factor into a persons dental hygiene. If it was all just one thing i think we would all have bright white shining smiles because it would be so easy to solve the problem.
and this is why we should not let the government purchase and put floride in our water…
Interesting post. I’ve definitely leaned towards avoiding fluoride.
Thanks for your comment today!
Well SJ if you do make one, i will be your first customer. (if you do move to canada though the shipping might be expensive… so at least make sure your factory is here in america.)
@ SK-blah-blah-blah Well maybe you should invent the fluoride-remover, make millions, and move to Canada.
lol. thanks for getting the correct number of blah’s after my name to substitute for the K26.
I think i wouldn’t be as against it if there was a good and easy way to remove it.
@ Mannah: im sure thats what they said in russia..
@SJK26
Actually it says, “trace amounts” amount not necessarily negligible :-)
@SKJ26 What?? The government is completely responsible for ensuring the well-being of it’s people. Government for the people, by the people, of the people. It’s like Rick Perry’s initiative in Texas for the HPV vaccine. He was protecting the people, but giving an opt out option. With fluoride, your opt out is to move. Simple.
The only bad thing about universal health care is that there’s no valid opt-out, btw.
cant you just move??? that seems to be your solution for other things?
According to brita filters it only removes a negligible amount.
https://www.brita.com/support/faq/pitcher-faq/
(you can find it about the middle of the page)
@Mannah D.: i disagree. When does it become the place of the government TO place floride in our water. Its our OWN responsibility to take care of ourselves.
@STEVE: i believe that the filter does remove some of the floride content of the water. but im not 100% sure
I also have the filtering question. Does that cut back the amount? Sounds like it is probably already fairly negligible… I usually filter any tap water I drink anyway b/c of the taste.
When has America ever followed Canada? (Ok except for socialist universal health care.)
Fluoride’s great. Really. Coffee and soda discolor your teeth more than a little fluoride in your water. I get awful cavities, so personally I’m up for any help I can get preventing them!
If you don’t like fluoride in your water, move somewhere that doesn’t fluoridate. Problem solved.
I usually don’t drink water straight from the Tap. Normally I put it in a filter first. I wonder if my filter helps reduce the fluoride content. Does anybody know if it does?