Fluoride can harm your health

I recently read an article published by FluorideAlert.org about the dangers of Fluoride.  Some of the dangers I knew, some I did not.  I have abbreviated the findings here:

Most developed countries, including Japan and 97% of the Western European population DO NOT consume fluoridated water.  In the US, 70% of our water supply is fluoridated.  The number of people drinking this water is approximately 185 million, which is one-half of the number of people drinking fluoridated water worldwide.

1. Fluoride is the only chemical added to water for the purposes of medical treatment. It is unethical because
   1. #1, we did not consent,
   2. #2, the dose cannot be controlled,
   3. #3 Fluoride goes to everyone regardless of age, health, or vulnerability. “Water Fluoridation goes against leading principles of pharmacotherapy, which is progressing from a stereotyped medication-of the type 1 tablet 3 times a day—to a much more individualized therapy as regards both dosage and selection of drugs.  The addition of drugs to drinking water means exactly the opposite of an individualized therapy.” Dr. Arvid Carlsson, 2000 Nobel Laureate in Medicine and Physiology (Carlsson 1978)  
2. Fluoride is NOT an essential nutrient. Not a single biological process has been shown to require fluoride.  On the contrary, fluoride interferes with many important biological processes.
   1. Enzyme function
   2. Thyroid function—European doctors use fluoride to reduce the activity of the thyroid gland for those suffering from hyperthyroidism. The dose was just 2.3-4.5 mg/day of fluoride ion.  The DHHS has estimated that people are exposed to 1.6-6.6 mg/day fluoride through water consumption.
   3. Neurotransmitter signaling
   4. Arthritis mimicking—skeletal fluorosis (bone and joint disease) presents as arthritic pain. Fluoride may increase hip fractures in the elderly.  People with kidney damage are particularly vulnerable to bone damage, as the kidneys are used to filter the fluoride out of the body.
   5. Aluminum attracting
3. Bottle fed babies receive 300 times more fluoride via prepared formula then do breast fed babies.
4. Fluoride accumulates in the body, calcifying bones and the pineal gland.
5. There has never been a single randomized controlled trial to demonstrate fluoridation’s effectiveness or safety.
6. Fluoridation’s role in tooth decay is in serious doubt. The largest survey ever conducted in the US (over 39,000 children from 84 communities) by the National Institute of Dental Research showed little difference in tooth decay among children in fluoridated and non-fluoridated communities (Hillman 1989) The difference between the groups was less than one tooth surface (out of 100+ tooth surfaces) or less than 1% between the groups.   The NIH funded study found no significant relationship between tooth decay and fluoride intake among children (Warren 2009)
7. Tooth decay is high in low-income communities that have been fluoridated for years. Water fluoridation cannot prevent the oral health crisis that result from rampant poverty, inadequate nutrition, and lack of access to dental care.
8. Tooth decay does not go up when fluoridation is stopped.
9. Fluoride may damage the brain. According to the National Research Council (2006), “it is apparent that fluorides have the ability to interfere with the functions of the brain. The EPA lists fluoride among about 100 chemicals for which there is ‘substantial evidence of developmental neurotoxicity.”
10. Fluoride may lower IQ. There have been 33 international studies that have reported an association between fluoride exposure and reduced IQ.
11. Fluoride may cause non-IQ neurotoxic effects. At least three studies have reported an association between fluoride exposure and impaired visual-spatial organization.  Four other studies have found an association between prenatal exposure and fetal brain development.
12. Fluoride may cause bone cancer (osteoscarcoma)
13. Fluoride may cause reproductive problems. Studies have shown that sperm is damaged where there is 3 ppm or more fluoride in the water.
14. The Diabetic, infants and elderly are particularly vulnerable to fluoride.

For the whole article, click here  http://fluoridealert.org/articles/50-reasons/

Until next time,

Dr. Polly