Fluoridation Ineffective & Harmful, studies show
ri...@math.missouri.edu
Fluoridation Ineffective & Harmful, studies show
By NYSCOF
Posted May 25, 2009 at 3:51 p.m.
New York - May 25 - Over 2,470 professionals urge the US Congress
to stop water fluoridation until Congressional hearings are conducted,
citing scientific evidence that fluoridation, long promoted to fight
tooth decay, is ineffective and has serious health risks. See
statement: http://www.fluorideaction.org/statement.august.2007.html.
Also, eleven Environmental Protection Agency employee unions
representing over 7000 environmental and public health professionals
called for a moratorium on drinking water fluoridation programs
across the country, and have asked EPA management to recognize
fluoride as posing a serious risk of causing cancer in people. (1a)
Last election day, 53 US cities rejected fluoridation joining a
growing list of communities saying "No," to fluoridation. (1)
Since the professionals' statement was first issued (Aug 2007), the
following occurred:
-- The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment,
Canada's leading voice on environmental health issues, released a
statement opposing fluoridation. (2)
-- The National Kidney Foundation dropped its fluoridation support
replacing it with this caution: "Individuals with CKD [Chronic
Kidney Disease] should be notified of the potential risk of fluoride
exposure." (3)
-- Researchers reporting in the Oct 6 2007 British Medical Journal
indicate that fluoridation never was proven safe or effective and
may be unethical. (4) -- "A qualitative review of ...studies found
a consistent and strong association between the exposure to fluoride
and low IQ," concluded Tang el al., in "Fluoride and Children's
Intelligence: A Meta-analysis" in Biological Trace Element Research
(5)
-- Scientific American editors wrote in January 2008, "Some recent
studies suggest that over-consumption of fluoride can raise the
risks of disorders affecting teeth, bones, the brain and the thyroid
gland"
-- Dr. A. K. Susheela, a leading fluoride expert, explains in a
video why US physicians overlook fluoride as a possible cause of
diseases commonly caused by fluoride. http://tinyurl.com/Susheela
-- A study in the Fall 2008 Journal of Public Health Dentistry
reveals that cavity-free teeth have little to do with fluoride
intake. Researchers report, "The benefits of fluoride are mostly
topical#while fluorosis is clearly more dependent on fluoride
intake." -- Research published in Biological Trace Element Research
(April 2009). indicates that blood fluoride levels were significantly
higher in patients with osteosarcoma than in control groups. (13)
Osteosarcoma, a rare bone cancer, occurs mostly in children and
young adults
A Tennessee State legislator who is also an MD is urging all Tennessee
Water Districts to stop fluoridation, reported a Tennessee newspaper
on 11/29/08. At least 30 Tennessee water districts have already
complied with his request.(6)
On 1/5/09, the Burlington Board of Health recommended that Burlington
cease fluoridation because fluoridation can harm some people. (7)
On 1/6/09, a Canadian town, Drayton, stopped fluoridation, not to
save money, but because it was in the best interests of residents,
said the Mayor. (8)
On 2/10/2009 Skagit County, WA officials reversed their 2007
fluoridation decision. (9)
On 3/3/2009, Plainfield, Vermont bans fluoridation. (10)
The Arkansas Oral Health Director is accused of giving eight "false
or misleading statements" on fluoridation to an Arkansas legislative
Committee. (12)
Signers to the FAN statement include:
-- Dr. Arvid Carlsson,winner of the 2000 Nobel Prize for Medicine
-- Vyvyan Howard, MD, PhD, President, International Society of
Doctors for the Environment -- Ken Cook and Richard Wiles, Environmental
Working Group -- Lois Gibbs, Center for Health, Environment, and
Justice -- Joseph Mercola, Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, who runs
the #1 most visited natural health website -- Theo Colborn, PhD,
co-author, "Our Stolen Future" -- Sam Epstein, MD, Chairman, Cancer
Prevention Coalition -- The current and six past Presidents of the
International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology -- Board of
Directors (2007), American Academy of Environmental Medicine --
FIVE Goldman Prize winners - given for excellence in protecting the
environment -- Three members of the prestigious 2006 National
Research Council (NRC) panel that reported on fluoride's toxicology
-- Three officers in the Union representing professionals at EPA
headquarters -- Hundreds of medical, dental, academic, scientific
and environmental professionals, worldwide.
Nobel Prize winner, Dr. Arvid Carlsson, says, "Fluoridation is
against all principles of modern pharmacology. It's really obsolete."
An Online Action Petition to Congress in support of the Professionals'
Statement is available on FAN's web site,
http://congress.fluorideaction.net
Fluoride jeopardizes health - even at low levels deliberately added
to public water supplies, according to data presented in a 2006
National Academy of Sciences' (NAS) National Research Council (NRC)
report. Fluoride poses risks to the thyroid gland, diabetics, kidney
patients, high water drinkers and others and can severely damage
children's teeth. (11) At least three panel members advise avoiding
fluoridated water.
"The NRC fluoride report dramatically changed scientific understanding
of fluoride's health risks," says Paul Connett, PhD, Executive
Director, Fluoride Action Network. "Government officials who continue
to promote fluoridation must testify under oath as to why they are
ignoring the powerful evidence of harm in the NRC report," he added.
The Professionals' Statement also references:
-- The new American Dental Association policy recommending infant
formula NOT be prepared with fluoridated water. -- The CDC's
concession that the predominant benefit of fluoride is topical not
systemic. -- CDC data showing that dental fluorosis, caused by
fluoride over-exposure, now impacts one third of American children.
-- Major research indicating little difference in decay rates between
fluoridated and non-fluoridated communities. -- A Harvard study
indicating a possible link between fluoridation and bone cancer.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG), a DC watchdog, revealed that
a Harvard professor concealed the fluoridation/bone cancer connection
for three years. EWG President Ken Cook states, "It is time for the
US to recognize that fluoridation has serious risks that far outweigh
any minor benefits, and unlike many other environmental issues,
it's as easy to end as turning off a valve at the water plant."
Adverse health effects of fluoride: http://www.FluorideAction.Net/health
References:
(1a) http://www.nteu280.org/Issues/Fluoride/Press%20Release.%20Fluoride.htm
(1) http://www.fluoridealert.org/communities.htm
(2) http://www.fluoridealert.org/cape.html
(3) National Kidney Foundation, "Fluoride Intake in Chronic Kidney
Disease," April 15, 2008
http://www.kidney.org/atoz/pdf/Fluoride_Intake_in_CKD.pdf
(4) "Adding fluoride to water supplies," British Medical Journal,
KK Cheng, Iain Chalmers, Trevor A. Sheldon, October 6, 2007
(6) http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStockNews/articleid/2840202
(7) http://www.swabvt.org/node/300
(8) http://www.draytonvalleywesternreview.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1373584
(9)
http://www.goskagit.com/home/article/commissioners_vote_to_halt_fluoride_program/
(10)
http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20090303/NEWS0301/90303100/1009/NEWS01
(11) National Research Council (2003-2006): Fluoride in Drinking
Water: A Scientific Review of EPA's Standards
http://www.fluoridealert.org/health/epa/nrc/
(12) "State oral health director challenged over comments about
fluoridation," March 10, 2009,by Kathryn Lucariello, Carroll County
News http://www.carrollconews.com/story/1509198.html
(13) Biological Trace Element Research, "Serum Fluoride and Sialic
Acid Levels in Osteosarcoma," by Sandhu R, Lal H, Kundu ZS, Kharb
S, Apr 24, 2009 [Epub ahead of print]
SOURCE: Fluoride Action Network http://www.FluorideAction.Net