Is Flouride in the Water Good Or Bad?
Obviously, dental hygiene is a priority to conscientious parents.
Yet, in spite of the improved toothpastes and professional dental techniques and equipment, more than one quarter of 2- to 5-year-olds and half of kids 12 to 15 years old have one or more cavities, and tooth decay has affected two thirds of 16- to 19-year-olds.
Many feel that adding fluoride to public water is one way to curb the problem of tooth decay.
But this opinion is in no way unanimous.
Fluoride exists naturally in water and is the 13th most common element in the Earth's crust.
Some water has sufficient natural quantities.
What should be done when it is not naturally present? Should water systems add fluoride to the supply? The debate has been going on for decades and won't end here.
Many factors are involved in this discussion.
The purpose here is to consider a few of these, and to give you some options.
Consider these quotes: "It is well known that fluoride helps prevent and even reverse the early stages of tooth decay.
" "Today, water fluoridation is estimated to reduce tooth decay by 20-40%.
" These statements were made by a medical doctor.
Here's another: "For over 60 years, water fluoridation has proved to be a safe and cost-effective way to reduce dental caries.
" The pro side claims that fluoride combats tooth decay in two ways.
First, it becomes part of the structure of developing teeth.
Second, it also works when it comes in contact with the surface of the teeth.
Fluoride prevents the acid produced by the bacteria in plaque from dissolving, or demineralizing, tooth enamel, the hard and shiny substance that protects the teeth.
Fluoride also allows teeth damaged by acid to repair, or remineralize, themselves.
Fluoride cannot repair cavities, but it can reverse low levels of tooth decay and thus prevent new cavities from forming.
On the other hand we have quotes like this: ".
.
.
there is no difference in the tooth decay rates of the fluoridated and nonfluoridated areas surveyed.
" Indeed, some studies, they say, show that the more fluoride children ingest, the higher their risk of dental decay.
Too much fluoride before 8 years of age, a time when teeth are developing, can cause enamel fluorosis, a discoloration or mottling of the permanent teeth.
Sometimes the amount of fluoride ingested from the water and then through toothpaste and dental treatments can be too much.
At times the studies have not considered the long range effects of fluoride.
The con side says it has been directly linked to cancer, changes in bone structure and strength, has caused birth defects and perinatal deaths, has impaired the immune system, caused initial stages of skeletal fluorosis, caused osteoarthritis, inhibits key enzymes, suppresses thyroid function and several other adverse problems.
What about the studies mentioned above proving that fluoride is good for dental hygiene? Opponents point out the studies had several flaws.
First, they did not consider other minerals in the water that could have been the cause of decreased instances of tooth decay.
Second, they did not consider the differences between "natural fluoride" (like CaF) and added fluoride (like NaF).
Third, the conclusion had little or no statistical analysis.
Fourth, it included no safety experiments except for dental fluorosis.
If you conclude that fluoride should not be in your drinking water, what can you do about it? You could buy bottled water but this is expensive.
A better choice is to purchase a water filter that removes fluoride.
Berkey, for example, has available an additional filter that can be attached to the regular charcoal filters and will remove fluoride from the water.
You don't have to ingest it if you don't want to.
Symptoms of fluoride toxicity may include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, increased salivation, or increased thirst.
Symptoms begin 30 minutes after ingestion and can last up to 24 hours.
Yet, in spite of the improved toothpastes and professional dental techniques and equipment, more than one quarter of 2- to 5-year-olds and half of kids 12 to 15 years old have one or more cavities, and tooth decay has affected two thirds of 16- to 19-year-olds.
Many feel that adding fluoride to public water is one way to curb the problem of tooth decay.
But this opinion is in no way unanimous.
Fluoride exists naturally in water and is the 13th most common element in the Earth's crust.
Some water has sufficient natural quantities.
What should be done when it is not naturally present? Should water systems add fluoride to the supply? The debate has been going on for decades and won't end here.
Many factors are involved in this discussion.
The purpose here is to consider a few of these, and to give you some options.
Consider these quotes: "It is well known that fluoride helps prevent and even reverse the early stages of tooth decay.
" "Today, water fluoridation is estimated to reduce tooth decay by 20-40%.
" These statements were made by a medical doctor.
Here's another: "For over 60 years, water fluoridation has proved to be a safe and cost-effective way to reduce dental caries.
" The pro side claims that fluoride combats tooth decay in two ways.
First, it becomes part of the structure of developing teeth.
Second, it also works when it comes in contact with the surface of the teeth.
Fluoride prevents the acid produced by the bacteria in plaque from dissolving, or demineralizing, tooth enamel, the hard and shiny substance that protects the teeth.
Fluoride also allows teeth damaged by acid to repair, or remineralize, themselves.
Fluoride cannot repair cavities, but it can reverse low levels of tooth decay and thus prevent new cavities from forming.
On the other hand we have quotes like this: ".
.
.
there is no difference in the tooth decay rates of the fluoridated and nonfluoridated areas surveyed.
" Indeed, some studies, they say, show that the more fluoride children ingest, the higher their risk of dental decay.
Too much fluoride before 8 years of age, a time when teeth are developing, can cause enamel fluorosis, a discoloration or mottling of the permanent teeth.
Sometimes the amount of fluoride ingested from the water and then through toothpaste and dental treatments can be too much.
At times the studies have not considered the long range effects of fluoride.
The con side says it has been directly linked to cancer, changes in bone structure and strength, has caused birth defects and perinatal deaths, has impaired the immune system, caused initial stages of skeletal fluorosis, caused osteoarthritis, inhibits key enzymes, suppresses thyroid function and several other adverse problems.
What about the studies mentioned above proving that fluoride is good for dental hygiene? Opponents point out the studies had several flaws.
First, they did not consider other minerals in the water that could have been the cause of decreased instances of tooth decay.
Second, they did not consider the differences between "natural fluoride" (like CaF) and added fluoride (like NaF).
Third, the conclusion had little or no statistical analysis.
Fourth, it included no safety experiments except for dental fluorosis.
If you conclude that fluoride should not be in your drinking water, what can you do about it? You could buy bottled water but this is expensive.
A better choice is to purchase a water filter that removes fluoride.
Berkey, for example, has available an additional filter that can be attached to the regular charcoal filters and will remove fluoride from the water.
You don't have to ingest it if you don't want to.
Symptoms of fluoride toxicity may include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, increased salivation, or increased thirst.
Symptoms begin 30 minutes after ingestion and can last up to 24 hours.
