Since being officially classified as a neurotoxin, parents are growing more [...]
At the end of 2012, Portland city council members met behind closed doors in an attempt to pass a public water fluoridation mandate. When word of the council’s plan leaked, citizens sprang into action, collecting an unprecedented 400,000+ signatures to bring the controversial decision to the public for a vote. Six months have passed since that time, and we're happy to announce that the residents of Portland have successfully voted to keep public water free of fluoride.
So, what can we learn about Portland’s recent underdog victory against the pro-fluoride lobby?
Water fluoridation has been hailed as one of the greatest achievements in public health of the 20th century, particularly in the fight against tooth decay and oral disease. However, an ever-growing body of research indicates that fluoride accumulates in the body and causes serious health issues. As scientists and health professionals increasingly warn Americans about the potentially toxic side effects of fluoride ingestion, one is left to wonder: Why is fluoride being added to our drinking water?
Fluoridegate—An American Tragedy explores this looming question, citing original research findings from as early as the 1950s that describe the dangerous side effects of fluoride exposure. Produced and directed by former President of the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT), Dr. David Kennedy, Fluoridegate takes an uncensored look at the sordid history of water fluoridation programs and their true impact on public health.
The fluoride free movement continues to see unprecedented momentum in 2013 as Israel announces the phase-out of public water fluoridation requirements. First put into action in 2002, Israel’s fluoridation mandate formerly required all municipalities to treat public water with fluoride. That mandate will be lifted within a year, however, empowering Israeli municipalities to reduce exposure to the potentially toxic mineral by going fluoride free.
The beginning of 2013 has been an eventful and progressive time for the fluoride-free water movement. As of March, at least 9 new communities have put an end to public water fluoridation. Elimination of these programs means an additional 372,626 Americans will be protected from the potentially toxic side effects of fluoride exposure, according to statistics gathered by the Fluoride Action Network.
The Fluoride Action Network is perhaps the most well known fluoride-free advocacy group in the world, comprised of licensed medical professionals, scientists, and health professionals united in the fight against unethical water fluoridation (i). Together, the team seeks to spread global awareness for the toxicity of fluoride among citizens, scientists, and policymakers.
The organization has compiled hundreds of studies from health professionals and research organizations from across the world. According to their findings, here are 10 of the top 50 reasons to oppose water fluoridation:
According to the Journal of Dental Research (Whitford 1987, 1990), there is enough fluoride in a tube of children's fluoride toothpaste to kill an average-weighing child under the age of 9. Why else would the FDA require the following warning label on fluoride toothpaste?
"WARNING: Keep out of reach of children under 6 years of age. If you accidentally swallow more than used for brushing, seek professional help or contact a poison control center immediately."
The 1984 Clinical Toxicology of Commercial Products rates lead’s toxicity at 3-4, while fluoride is rated at 4 (3 = moderately toxic; 4 = very toxic).
Gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea, abdominal pain and vomiting are the most common early symptoms of acute fluoride poisoning. For people who are sensitive to fluoride, ingesting 1 mg tablets of fluoride or drinking 1 parts per million of fluoridated water can cause these gastrointestinal symptoms. A 5-to-10 gram dose of fluoride for an adult or 500 mg dose for a child can cause damage to the body’s major organs and even cause death.
Fluoride’s damaging effects on the brain has been documented by both human and animal studies. Eighteen human studies from China, India, Iran and Mexico and more than 40 animal studies show evidence that fluoride toxicity negatively affects the brain. A Chinese study [Wang SX, ZH Wang, XT Cheng, J Li, ZP Sang, XD Zhang, LL Han, SY Qiao, ZM Wu and ZQ Wang. 2007. “Arsenic and fluoride exposure in drinking water: children's IQ and growth in Shanyin County, Shanxi province, China.” Environmental Health Perspectives 115(4):643-7.] examined 524 children, ages 8 to 12, for “fluoride exposures in relation to intellectual functioning and growth.” The children who were exposed to high concentrations of fluoride through well water -- as high as 8.3 (mg/L)—were compared to a control group of children from neighboring villages whose well water contained 0.5 mg/L of fluoride. The high fluoride group had a four-point IQ score reduction compared with the control group, and the high fluoride group’s urine fluoride level was five times higher than the control group.