The Fluoride Debate

The ongoing debate about whether fluoride is harming or hurting the American public has drawn divisive lines. This debate has been centered around good and bad science, and the business of making a profit over the safety of the public.

While there is some validity in the argument for decreasing cavities with fluoride use, a look at the back of this nationally known brand of toothpaste may have you wondering if you or your family really should be using this. “In case of accidental ingestion seek professional assistance or contact a Poison Control Center IMMEDIATELY.’

Amount of fluoride ingested from toothpaste by age group

(The statistics are alarming, especially for young children)

 Adults: Less than 10% of toothpaste is typically ingested

Children: Ingestion rates are much higher, ranging from:

• 48% in 2–3-year-olds
• 42% in 4-year-olds
• 34% in 5-year-olds
• 25% in 6-year-olds
• Around 10% in 8–12-year-olds (1)

History of fluoride and water fluoridation

The story of water fluoridation began with the observations of Dr. Frederick McKay, a dentist who started practicing in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in 1901. McKay noticed that many of his patients had brown stains on their teeth, a condition later known as dental fluorosis. Despite the staining, these patients had low rates of dental cavities. McKay, along with Dr. G.V. Black, discovered that the staining was linked to high levels of fluoride in the local water supply.

The first community to implement water fluoridation was Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1945. This was part of a controlled experiment to test the effectiveness of fluoridation in preventing dental cavities. The results showed a reduction in tooth decay among children in the fluoridated area compared to a control community.

Following the success in Grand Rapids, other cities in the United States and around the world began to adopt water fluoridation.

By the 1950s and 1960s, water fluoridation had been endorsed by major health organizations, including the U.S. Public Health Service, the American Dental Association, and the World Health Organization. Countries such as Canada, New Zealand, and Brazil also began to fluoridate their water supplies. (2)

Fluoride is either a drug or a contaminant, depending on how you use it.

• Fluoridated toothpaste: Commonly uses sodium fluoride or stannous fluoride. Classified by the FDA as a drug.
• Fluoridated water: Typically uses fluorosilicic acid, sodium fluorosilicate, or sodium fluoride. Regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency, they have set the enforceable maximum drinking water standards. They call this level the Maximum Contaminant Level Goal.

The question begs- if fluoride is a drug, why are we being forced via our water supply to undertake a medical intervention that we didn’t consent to?

(This is a conversation you should be having with your dentist.)

The 3 types of fluoride added to the water supply

According to the CDC, as of 2020, 72.7% of the U.S. population on a community water source received fluoridated water.

1. A byproduct of the phosphate fertilizer industry, fluorosilicic acid is the most widely used fluoridation compound in community water systems in the United States. (a novel way to get rid of toxic waste)
2. Sodium fluorosilicate is another type of water fluoridation. This type is made by neutralizing fluorosilicic acid with sodium, making it easier to ship than fluorosilicic acid.
3. Sodium fluoride was the first compound used for water fluoridation. This type of fluoride is used in smaller utility companies. (3)

The 3 types of fluoride used in toothpaste

1. Sodium fluoride is the most common type.
2. Stannous fluoride has some antimicrobial properties that fight gum disease.
3. Sodium monofluorophosphate, considered less toxic than other fluoride compounds. (4)

Health implications of fluoridated water and toothpaste

While fluoride has been proven to prevent cavities, the damaging health effects cannot be overlooked: (6)

• Hypersensitivity- skin rashes, acute gastrointestinal problems. Every year there are over 20,000 calls to Poison Control Centers as a result of excessive ingestion
• Neurotoxicity- studies linking fluoride exposure to reduced intelligence (lower IQ), impaired fetal development
• Dental fluorosis, a discoloration and pitting of teeth enamel caused by too much fluoride intake during the first 9 years of life/ (this is a sign of systemic toxicity)
• Cardiovascular disease- possible link to calcification of the arteries with chronic exposure (as in fluoridated drinking water)
• Cancer -Some evidence linking fluoride to development of bone, bladder and lung cancer
• Diabetes- excessive fluoride consumption may lead to increased blood glucose levels
• Thyroid health- A thyroid hormone is made of one tyrosine and one iodine molecule. Fluoride has bee proven to knock the iodine off, replacing it with a fluorine molecule.
• Pineal gland- fluoride accumulates in the pineal gland, one of the melatonin manufacturing centers, resulting in reduced melatonin levels
• Excessive fluoride intake and osteomalacia (bone softening disease)
• Skeletal fluorosis- a crippling skeletal disease when kidney patients are exposed to just 1.7ppm fluoride.
• Arthritis like symptoms- chronic fluoride exposure can cause skeletal fluorosis. Symptoms include joint pain and stiffness.

For a deeper dive on the history, politics and suppressed science surrounding fluoride check out 

• Fluoride Action Network website - a repository filled with documented history and research surrounding water fluoridation.
• The Case against Fluoride book – a compelling read to understand the agenda and politics behind the mass fluoridation of our water supply. From the Manhattan project ties to fluoridation accidents and coverups, this book reads like a good, suspenseful novel.

References

1. National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. (2018). The Story of Fluoridation. Retrieved from https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/health-info/fluoride/the-story-of-fluoridation
2. European Commission Scientific Committee on Health and Environmental Risks. (2010). Critical review of any new evidence on the hazard profile, health effects, and human exposure to fluoride and the fluoridating agents of drinking water. Retrieved from https://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/opinions_layman/fluoridation/en/l-3/4.htm
3. (n.d.). Water fluoridation: Just the facts. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/story/water-fluoridation-just-the-facts
4. Oral Health Foundation. (n.d.). Fluoride. Retrieved from https://www.dentalhealth.org/fluoride
5. American Dental Association. (2021). Fluoride: Topical and systemic supplements. https://www.ada.org/resources/research/science-and-research-institute/oral-health-topics/fluoride-topical-and-systemic-supplements
6. Fluoride Action Network. (n.d.). Health Effects of Fluoride. Retrieved from https://fluoridealert.org/key-topics/health-effects-of-fluoride/

Written by Brooke Lounsbury