Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Flouridation of the Water Supply

More on this topic later, but for now:
  • Researchers are intensifying their scrutiny of fluoride, which is added to most public water systems in the U.S. Some recent studies suggest that over consumption of fluoride can raise the risks of disorders affecting teeth, bones, the brain and the thyroid gland.
  • A 2006 report by a committee of the National Research Council recommended that the federal government lower its current limit for fluoride in drinking water because of health risks to both children and adults.
Source: http://www.nature.com/scientificamerican/journal/v298/n1/full/scientificamerican0108-74.html 

99% of western continental Europe has rejected, banned, or stopped fluoridation due to environmental, health, legal, or ethical concerns.
Only about 5% of the world population is fluoridated and more than 50% of these people live in North America.

Source: http://www.fluoridation.com/c-country.htm

According to Cancer Causes & Control, fluoridated water increases the risk of cancer significantly in certain age groups.

Source: http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerCauses/OtherCarcinogens/AtHome/water-fluoridation-and-cancer-risk

Dartmouth researcher suggests that fluoridated water is dangerous to human health.

Source: http://www.dartmouth.edu/~news/releases/2001/mar01/flouride.html

The World Health Organization says fluoridated water does not improve oral hygiene:

Source: http://www.who.int/oral_health/media/en/orh_report03_en.pdf

The most comprehensive study ever performed on whether or not fluoridated water improves dental health concludes that people in areas with fluoridated water have essentially identical oral health to people who don't: http://www.icnr.com/articles/national-fluoride-tooth-decay-study.html

All of the information gathered from the sources I've presented here seem to have drawn one of two conclusions:
1.  Fluoridation of the water supply is detrimental
2.  Flouridation of the water supply has no conclusive benefits to oral health

Given those two conclusions, I don't see the point of fluoridating the water supply, especially in light of the research that suggests it is potentially harmful.  Even if it turns out that those studies were flawed and fluoridation isn't harmful, there's still no point in fluoridating our water.  We'll just have to wait and see what future studies find, but I, for one, would rather NOT take and chances and would like to see an end to the fluoridation of our water supply, just to stay on the safe side.

Thoughts?

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