[Dick]

I recently came across an article in a magazine warning of the potential hazards of fluoride to human health.
I did a little research on the internet and found that there are two camps, both well dug in on the matter. There are well organized groups that are trying to rid the world of fluoride in drinking water.
Here’s some stuff I found...
• fluoride's effects "include an increased risk of bone fractures, decreased thyroid function, lowered IQ, arthritic-like conditions, dental fluorosis and, possibly, osteosarcoma." Particularly at risk are children, diabetics, those with kidney concerns, and "above average water drinkers" – which probably includes anyone who is drinking enough water to sustain good health.
• Fluoride is an acute toxin with a rating slightly higher than that of lead
• Fluoride is considered a toxic product and is the most bone-seeking element known to man. The US Public Health Service has stated that fluoride makes the bones more brittle and the dental enamel more porous. The use of fluoride on your teeth leads to something called dental fluorosis, and it is estimated that 1 in 5 children are affected by this condition.
• In 1990 the National Cancer Institute found that fluoride was a carcinogen.

The list goes on and on.
If I were a conspiracy theorist I would say they are poisoning the masses to make them more lethargic and less ambitious...but I'm not, and unless someone is sneaking it into my well...

[RangerXanatos]

I just have turned 24 and every since I was little, I can remember how my parents have always talked about how stupid and dangerous it is to put florine in water and toothpaste. I asked one of my college chemistry professors about it, and she said the "reason" they do it is because it replaces a certain element in your teeth and makes them into a harder salt so that the acids we drink like sodas aren't as likely to soften and destroy your teeth. I don't believe it.



I get lots of canker sores so another thing that bothers me about toothpaste is Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. Sodium lauryl sulfate - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia I have used this in labs and it is something I do not want in my mouth! In the lab it is called SDS.

Some of the things it's in/does:
engine degreasers,
floor cleaners,
car wash soaps
Lysis cells (rupture)
denatures proteins

Safety:
SLS has not been proven to be carcinogenic when either applied directly to skin or consumed. SLS however is a strong surfactant and a number of health concerns have been raised in published reports.
SLS may worsen skin problems in individuals with chronic skin hypersensitivity, with some people being affected more than others.
SLS in toothpaste may cause aphthous ulcers, commonly referred to in some countries as canker sores. Using SLS free toothpaste may reduce the sores.
SLS has also been shown to irritate the skin of the face with prolonged and constant exposure (more than an hour) in young adults. In animal studies SLS appears to cause skin and eye irritation.

[tjwilhelm]

Actually, there is evidence that fluorine IN VERY SMALL CONCENTRATIONS does help to strengthen tooth enamel and curtail tooth decay. However, the therapeutic concentrations REQUIRED by the U.S. Public Health Department are down at 0.7 mg./L -- less than 1 part flourine per million parts of water. In fact, the EPA said the fluorine concentration should never exceed 4 parts per million.

Our village is always in trouble with the EPA because the natural fluorine in our water supply is only 0.5 parts per million, and we refuse to add more.

Fluorine is EXTREMELY toxic!!! Even in VERY tiny concentrations that exceed 4 parts per million, it will -- ironically -- destroy your teeth:

[George]

In Australia, regions that do not provide drinking water with fluoride have much bigger tooth decay problem, especially children.

What is troubling me thou, that reason for decay pandemic often caused because brushing teeth is neglected as well as mothers put children to bed with soft drinks, coke or sweetened milk drinks.

If this is the only reason, it sucks, as I never go to bed without brushing my teeth.
Which could mean that I am exposed to too much fluoride.

[LaRemnant]

Haven't watched this for a while, but it is a documentary entitled: The Fluoride Deception (very informative!)



And from Coast to Coast (worth watching also!):

[Celticwarrior]

Back in the day, when tooth "paste" was not a commercial product, hygeine was more of a nice idea than a way of life, and no one had fluordated water, people's teeth rotted in their heads very young and they could look forward to gumming their food for the rest of their days. If there weren't a bunch of products on the shelf now that include fluorine, I would say that the entire debate over adding fluorine to the drinking water was like saying you wish there were no electric lights or internal combustion engines. However, with other products available to many people, or simply drinking TEA, which has natural amounts of fluoride, you could avoid tooth decay pretty easily without having chemicals in the water. We take so many things for granted in our modern society that we start questioning "why" our ancestors did certain things. That is a luxury they have given us with these policies. If you believe you and your kids shouldn't have fluorine, dig a well or buy spring water, or use a dehumidifier or rain barrel and filter the water. If you think old Jonas Salk was out to poison you with his shots and sugar cubes of polio vaccine, by all means don't take them. However, when you and yours suffer the consequences with rotten teeth or polio or whatever else you've foresworn, I would hazard a guess that a change of tune would be happening. We add iodine to salt to prevent goiter, we add fluoride to the water supply to prevent tooth decay, we add rotten egg smell to natural gas to warn us of gas leaks. Same with all the people who think adding chlorine to the water is bad (and forget where that water is actually coming from and what is probably IN it!). You WANT cholera or dysentery? I think folks forget WAY too easily how BAD things were before all these changes were made. We grow up, for the most part, stronger and healthier than our forefathers did, mainly because we don't suffer the same debilitating conditions they did as children. By the time they were adults, their bodies were riddled with problems we can't imagine today. They lived shorter lives NOT because they were pre-programmed to expire sooner than we are, but because it was a LOT more likely for them to die of diseases and health conditions that we don't see much of here today. You have to go to Africa and parts of Asia to see first hand how bad things can be for someone who lacks these medical wonders in their day to day lives. WE at least have the option to by Crest Toothpaste with Fluoride or Aquafresh mouthwash with Fluoride if our water lacks enough to keep our teeth healthy. Those people let their teeth fall out like autumn leaves because they don't HAVE that choice.

[stairman]

Its funny when I was a kid in Orange Park we had city water with floride. I went to school with the country kids and their teeth were much worse as a whole than ours and they were on well water. Im not positive the floride made the difference but it seemed that way. There was no water for sale back then so sink water was the norm and I never drank it without the normal sugary flavorings. I do not drink tap water from well or municipal source and have heard the dangers of consuming floride but still get it thru toothpaste and will probably keep on brushing with it but I dont swallow it so I see no danger in brushing. As for my water, I fill up 5 gallon bottles at the grocery store on the reverse osmosis filtering dispensers you see out front. Not sure if all floride is filtered out or not but something to think about.

[cowgirlup]

I woul imagine no one needs the amount that is in city water. However,my mom who doesn't have very strong teeth was told by a naturopath that she needed to use toothpaste with fluoride in it. She was using anall natural one that didn't have it.

[crazydave]

it does help in a lot of cases to counteract the bad diets. the counter debate often uses the same bad science the anti climate guys do and they would rather we brushed our teeth with gasoline. I do wonder why there isnt a campaign against fluoride toothpaste in the same way there is a fuss about the water.

its on a par with the only way they can make comercial breakfast cereals like kelloggs heathy is to add vitamins to it, the same with bread flour and iodised salt which saves hundreds of thousands of lives especially in the third world.

there's an awfull lot of these anti campaigns out there which rely on the gullible.

[George]

Originally Posted by crazydave

...

there's an awfull lot of these anti campaigns out there which rely on the gullible.

What scares me is that young mothers elect not to vaccinate their children for polio, measles, and many other vaccines that are given free of charge as anti-vaccination advocates make them think that they are doing the right thing.

Of course if we have no disease present that suppose vaccine is not necessary until you travel outside our island or if somebody doesn’t bring some nasty stuff here.

After all Australia have had 900,000 immigrants last year alone and because not everybody is screened for health here were few outbreaks of tuberculosis and few other diseases considered long gone!