Is putting fluoride in our water a safe? The fluoride debate continues

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

This is not the first time that we have spoken about fluoride and the drastic effects that it can have on the human body. This has not been propagated on mainstream media, and it could be tied to the fact that the governments of North America not only promote, but boast about the benefits of adding fluoride to water.

According to Canada.ca (Fluoride and Oral Health), our government supports Community Water Fluoridation as an effective way to prevent tooth decay. They state that it is universally accessible and provides benefits to all members of a community, regardless of their:

• Age
• Gender
• Income
• Ethnicity
• Education
• Access to oral health services
• Ability to afford oral hygiene supplies

They claim that Community Water Fluoridation has proven to be a safe, effective and equitable way to prevent and reduce tooth decay (including root decay) for people of all ages – from children to seniors.

Fluoride was first added to water in the United States in the 1940s to help prevent tooth decay in children eight years and under, but not everyone supports water fluoridation. The practice has sparked outrage among many Americans, including the general public, environmental activists, pregnant women, mothers, and other groups, calling for a nationwide ban on adding fluoride to public drinking water.

Some researchers argue that fluoride is a neurotoxin that is harmful to the thyroid, brain, and bone. They also claim that, when ingested, the mineral may present certain health risks, some of which we’ll be discussing in this article.

What I found interesting when investigating the use of fluoride in water is that in 2015, because of growing concerns that people were getting too much fluoride, the U.S. government decreased how much of the anti-cavity mineral that was put into water. It was the first time in more than 50 years the amount has been lowered.

The Department of Health and Human Services and Environmental Protection Agency proposed the change because of an increase in fluorosis – a condition that causes spotting and streaking on children’s teeth.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention says dental fluorosis is highest among adolescents between the ages of 12 and 15. There is a good reason for the increase in fluorosis: North Americans have access to fluoride from a variety of sources, including toothpaste, mouth rinses and prescription supplements.

In 2006 the National Research Council, the nation’s most prestigious scientific advisory bodies, called for a reassessment of the safety of fluoride in drinking water. It advised setting health-based upper limits to prevent fluoride-induced tooth and bone problems, including: bone fractures, skeletal fluorosis, a painful sometimes crippling condition, and tooth enamel pitting and staining, known as dental fluorosis

The council also noted an emerging body of science that implicated fluoride in other serious health problems, including: neurotoxicity, hormone disruption and the rare bone cancer osteosarcoma.

Once again, as citizens, we need to hold our governments accountable. We must demand that adequate research is done into fluoridation that will help us understand the mechanisms by which fluoride may be toxic to the developing brain. It would also be helpful if we were aware of populations highly vulnerable to fluoride in drinking water. If these individuals are at risk, their water must come from a source that is lower in fluoride.

Let us continue to speak out and demand more when it comes to our health.