Negative Effects of Fluoridation
After reviewing the positive effects of fluoridation, I will now present the opposing side.
The main problem associated with fluoridation is over-fluoridation. When kids come into contact with fluorine when their permanent teeth are forming, they may develop dental fluorisis. The teeth will result in white or brown stains, affecting the look, but not the function of the teeth. If fluorine continues to contact the teeth in high amounts, the tooth enamel may be hindered, making the teeth become sensitive and more difficult to chew. The levels of fluorine that cause dental fluorisis is rather large, and controlling the amount for fluorine your child come into contact with can easily be prevented. Not allowing your child to brush with toothpaste containing fluorine and keeping them away from mouth washes containing fluoride can reduce the risk of forming dental fluorisis. When your child reaches the age of six or seven, the stage of formation of their teeth is usually reached and the risk is again greatly reduced of over-fluorinating their teeth.
The result of long-term subjection to high levels of fluorine in adults may lead to skeletal fluorisis. Skeletal fluorisis is when the bones get denser and become more brittle, or easier to break. This disease is progressive, so it can start off with minor effects and can result in a more serious form. The people suffering from mild forms of skeletal fluorisis may only have stiff joints and in more severe cases can lead to deformed bones or increased risk of breaking bones. This seems to be a greater risk for elderly people who are already suffering from brittle bones or osteoporosis. Is it necessary to risk injury to the elderly who are already weak, to reduce the number of cavities formed in children?
Hopefully you will be able to decide for yourself where you stand on this controversial topic after taking the following information into consideration. I tried to show both sides of the topic, slightly playing “devil’s advocate” to get more ideas to stir when you think about the issue. If more information is needed, talk to your dentist and review the links from all of these posts. They will have much more information that will help you with your decision.
Information provided by It's Your Health.
posted by Allison at 10/14/2006 06:26:00 PM
2 Comments:
Fluoride: A Pain in the Neck - Case Report
New York – October 12, 2006 -- A 52-year-old American man’s arthritic-like joint pain and immobility went away after he stopped brushing his teeth with fluoridated toothpaste, according to a new study in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research(1).
There’s no scientific dispute that large fluoride doses cause crippling skeletal fluorosis over time. (See. http://www.nalgonda.org) But, “less well-known causes of chronic fluoride toxicity include fluoride supplements, certain teas and wine and some toothpastes,” report researchers Kurland, et al.(1)
Skeletal fluorosis often results in abnormal bone hardening and thickening (osteosclerosis) with painful and impaired neck and spine mobility, spine curvature, and/or painful lower extremities ultimately causing crippling and incapacitation, report the researchers.
“Fluoride at any level accumulates in the body,” says Paul Beeber, President, New York State Coalition Opposed to Fluoridation. “So even water fluoridation will cause arthritic-like symptoms in susceptible individuals which is compounded by U.S. physicians’ and dentists' lack of training to diagnose fluoride toxicity.”
In this case, the only obvious fluoride exposure was toothpaste. The patient drank no fluoridated water, tea or wine; had no occupational fluoride exposure; did not chew tobacco, inhale snuff, cook with Teflon pots, use fluoridated mouthwash or get fluoride treatments at twice-yearly dentist visits. But he brushed before and after all meals (minimum 6 times daily) with fluoridated toothpaste.
Fluoride was elevated in his serum, urine and iliac crest (bone), the researchers report.
Within 8 months of eliminating all obvious fluoride sources, the patient’s urinary and blood fluoride levels dropped and bone function markers showed clear cut improvement, the researchers report.
“By approximately two years after diagnosis and apparent elimination of excess fluoride exposure, the patient had complete resolution of his neck immobility and no longer required analgesics,” the researchers write.
Roos, et al. documents a woman whose painful swollen fingers healed after she ceased eating fluoridated toothpaste.(2)
Whyte, et al. report a woman’s fluoride-caused debilitating joint pains disappeared when her two-gallon-a-day iced tea habit stopped.(3)
Eichmiller, et al. report a patient’s leg and joint pains from a dentist-prescribed high-concentration fluoride product.(4)
“We know US schoolchildren are fluoride-overdosed(5). What’s it doing to their bones?” asks Beeber.
More about skeletal fluorosis: http://www.fluoridealert.org/s-fluorosis.htm
and arthritis http://www.fluoridealert.org/health/bone/fluorosis/arthritis/
References:
1) Recovery From Skeletal Fluorosis (An Enigmatic, American Case). Journal of Bone Mineral Research. October 2, 2006, by Kurland, et a.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=17014382&query_hl=3&itool=pubmed_docsum
(2) Osteofluorosis caused by excess use of toothpaste, Presse Med, 34:1518-20, by Roos et al November 2005
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=16301964&query_hl=7&itool=pubmed_docsum
(3) Environ Health Perspect. 2005 August; 113(8): “Food Safety: A Tea-Time Mystery,” by Michael Szpir
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1280381
(4) Journal of the American Dental Association, "Controlling the
fluoride dosage in a patient with compromised salivary function,"
Frederick C. Eichmiller, D.D.S.; Naomi Eidelman, Ph.D.; Clifton M.
Carey, PhD., Vol. 136, page 67 -70, January 2005
http://jada.ada.org/cgi/content/full/136/1/67
NYSCOF News Release: http://tinyurl.com/mbrmd
(5) NYSCOF News release http://tinyurl.com/mbrmd about
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Center for
Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Office of
Communication, 8/25/05
http://www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/pressrel/r050825.htm
Fluoridation 101
http://www.orgsites.com/ny/nyscof
Fluoridation News Releases
http://tinyurl.com/6kqtu
Tooth Decay Crises in Fluoridated Areas
http://www.fluoridenews.blogspot.com/
10/15/2006 4:13 AM
I agree to that April, but its not only fluoridation that I hate when I was a kid. I also hate having dental implants and crowns. That's why I am afraid going to the dentist.
1/29/2010 11:11 PM
Post a Comment
<< Home