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.

Positive Effects of Fluoridation

Fluoridation, the process of adding fluoride ions to the water system, began in the 1940s. This process was controversial when introduced, and continues to be today. This post will discuss the positive effects of fluoridation and will follow with the concerns related to this process. It is important to see both sides of this debate because it doesn’t only affect your dental health, but your children and parents as well. Depending upon where you live, you may or may not have fluorine in your water. It may be something that you will need to vote on one day, so understanding the basics is important to make an informed decision.

Fluoridation is approved by both the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, and the Center for Disease Control, CDC. They have restrictions on the levels of fluorine that is allowed to be added, ranging from 0.7 to 1.2 parts per million, and emphasize this amount is very small. They have considered the negative effects of fluoridation, which will be discussed later, but still approve its use. They regard the information presented by the opposition is not strong enough to ban the addition of fluorine to the water systems.

The major goal of adding fluoride to the water systems is to subject the general public to fluoride ions, which aide in the prevention and control of harmful acids. The fluoride targets the acids that cause carious lesions on the tooth surfaces, which results in cavities. Without daily fluoride treatment, these acids are more prone to inhibit your mouth. Under the right conditions, the acids will break down the tooth enamel resulting in the formation of cavities. By introducing fluoride to your daily diet, the cavities can be greatly reduced. It is the goal of the EPA and CDC to keep the general public’s health in mind. By supporting fluoridation they are helping people in lower social classes to get the same benefits as those who can afford fluoride treatment from a health care professional.

Fluoridation is beneficial for children. The fluoride treatment used correctly will provide their developing teeth with a protective layer with the enamel. When their teeth are still developing the fluoride levels need to be monitored, but by the age of six or seven fluorine can be used without many problems. Dr. Thomas Kiefer, Creighton University graduate practicing in Omaha, Nebraska, encouraged fluoridation. He states that it is obvious right away if children are subjected to fluorinated water or not. The children who drink water without fluoride ions have many more cavities and typically overall worse oral health. Those drinking water from a system that has been fluorinated have significantly better teeth, in regards to the amount of decay and build up of other bacteria.

The American Dental Association, ADA, has approved fluoridation time and time again through the last 50 years. In 2000, the ADA President Richard F. Mascola, D.D.S. informed that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention named water fluoridation one of the top ten greatest achievements in the 20th century for public health. This is impressive as the others that made the list included various vaccinations that greatly reduced epidemics. The ADA also reports that there has been a 20-40% reduction in dental caries due to water fluorination, even with other forms of fluoride easily available to the public.

All of these factors are important to remember when making your own decision on water fluoridation. Regardless of the opposing views, the process has been approved for more than 50 consecutive years by the American Dental Association, and has also been regarded as safe and beneficial by two renowned sources, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention.

Information provided by the Environmental Protection Agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Fluoridation

There is so much talk about what people should be doing to prevent tooth decay and dentists often emphasize what the patient isn’t doing or what they are doing wrong. The patient seems to be given all of the responsibility, which is reasonable because it is their own health that is the point of concern. Just like people know to keep a well-rounded diet to keep their cholesterol levels down and to work out to keep active and healthy, many people choose not to listen to their doctors. They prioritize their lives differently, many putting their health on the line before their busy schedules. As strange as this may seem, people don’t always do what they can to prevent major problems in the future. Dentistry is no alternative.

An idea was introduced in the 1940s with the means to help the public solve these problems. Since people were not taking their health into their own hands, why not help them, without them even knowing it? It seemed to solve both problems at hand: the patient’s laziness and improving their oral health. The solution was to add fluoride ions to the drinking water, a process called fluoridation. A small amount of fluorine, 0.7 to 1.2 parts per million, would be added to provide the general public with a first line of defense against tooth decay. This adequate level would benefit everyone, both those who do not have proper dental care, and even those who do. Since it is in the drinking water, little effort would be needed by the patient. Simply drinking tap water would give them enough fluoride in their diet to improve their oral health.

Fluorine should not be thought of as a scary chemical being put into your body. Fluorine is a naturally occurring compound, found in most living things. It is found in plants and animals, as well as in the soil. Fluorine is ionized, or broken down into smaller, more reactive charged species that will easily be absorbed by water. It is proven to help reduce the damage done to teeth caused by acids. If the acids are not prevented or controlled, they can lead to tooth decay. Tooth decay is also known as caries or cavities. Fluoride is in a lot of food that is eaten regularly, unannounced to the consumer. It can also be bought at the drug store as a toothpaste with fluoride included, or separately as a fluoride paste. Obviously, if fluoride was harmful to your body it would not be allowed to be sold, nor would it be recommended by your dentist.

Information provided by the American Dental Association and Basics about Fluoride.