NEW YORK -- Chemicals commonly used to fluoridate drinking water may
increase rather than decrease tooth decay, according to a study
published in a U.S. government journal, "Environmental Health
Perspectives." (1)

Children studied in fluoridated Boston/Cambridge, Massachusetts, have
significantly more tooth decay than children living in non-fluoridated
Farmington, Maine, report researchers Gemmel et al., contrary to
American Dental Association assertions that fluoridation reduces decay
from 40-59%.

Ironically, the intended decay-preventative fluoride chemicals,
silicofluorides, added to Boston/Cambridge water supply are linked to
higher blood lead levels. And lead is linked to cavities in Gemmel's
study and several others.

"... blood lead level was positively associated with number of caries
(cavities) among urban (fluoridated) children, even with adjustment for
demographic and maternal factors and child dental practices," write
Gemmel and colleagues.

Over 91% of U.S. fluoridating communities use silicofluorides. Yet,
silicofluorides have never been tested for safety or efficacy.

"The recently reported association between use of silicofluorides as
water fluoridants and the prevalence of elevated blood lead levels
(Masters and Coplan 2000) might explain, in part, the stronger
association between blood lead levels and caries...because the water
supplies of Boston and Cambridge are treated with fluorosilicic acid (a
silicofluoride)," write the researchers. Farmington water suppliers do
not add any fluoride chemicals.

"It appears that silicofluorides facilitate the transport of lead from
the gut into the bloodstream whatever the source of lead may be -- dust
from indoor paint, lead oxide in the soil left from leaded gasoline
exhaust, etc.," says Chemical Engineer, Myron Coplan, Senior Corporate
Scientist, and co-author of "Association of silicofluoride treated
water with elevated blood lead."

"Our data did not correlate high water lead with high prevalence of
elevated blood lead when sodium fluoride or no fluoride was in the
water," says Coplan.

Gemmel and colleagues theorize the "lead in saliva is absorbed onto the
surface of a tooth and incorporated into the hydroxyapatite (tooth
mineral), perhaps replacing calcium." Calcium loss creates cavities.

"This may explain why American children display over-fluoridated teeth
(dental fluorosis), along with rampant tooth decay in fluoridated
cities, (2)" says lawyer Paul Beeber, President, NYSCOF.

References:

1)
http://www.ehponline.org/members/2002/110pA625-A630gemmel/gemmel-full...

2) http://www.fluoridenews.blogspot.com/

New York State Coalition Opposed to Fluoridation, Inc.
http://www.orgsites.com/ny/nyscof

Fluoridation News Releases
http://tinyurl.com/6kqtu

Fluoride News Tracker
http://www.fluoridenews.blogspot.com/

Fluoride Action Network
http://www.FluorideAction.Net