The CDC reports
that almost all adults have cavities and significant oral health disparities by
race still persist. This after 7 decades of fluoridation reaching record numbers
of Americans via the water and food supply, reports the New York State Coalition
Opposed to Fluoridation, Inc. (NYSCOF).
Fluoride added to public water supplies attempts to prevent cavities and level out decay between poor and non-poor, in children and adults. But government statistics reveal it hasn’t.
West Virginia is
91% fluoridated and yet residents have the worst tooth decay and tooth loss
rates in the country.
Despite near universal fluoridation for decades,
67% of WV adults 65 and older have lost six or more teeth, according
to the CDC.
And 56% of WV third graders have cavities - up from 42% in
2010, according to CDC statistics. Untreated rates went from 17% to 21% during
the same period.
Clearly West Virginians need dentists. Fluoridation has
been useless in saving teeth in WV.
The May 2015 CDC Data Brief by Dye et al. reports 90% of all adults have cavities and two-thirds of 40 to 64-year-olds lost one or more teeth due to decay. Tooth loss and untreated cavities are drastically higher in African-Americans. The poor are more cavity-prone but Dye failed to provide statistics based on socio-economic-status.
Dye said his figures are conservative since root or smooth surface cavities, more prevalent in the elderly, were excluded. He speculated that disparities persist because of a lack of dental care
.
“Dental Therapists could fix this problem,” says attorney Paul Beeber, NYSCOF President. “But organized dentistry, using its power and money, lobby against legalizing Dental Therapists, protecting its lucrative monopoly, instead,” says Beeber.
Inappropriately, the American Dental Association (ADA) is “doubling down” on protecting fluoridation causing government agencies to waste millions of dollars yearly which could be spent treating teeth not water.
Instead of Dental Therapists, which is a proven effective remedy to quell the untreated tooth decay epidemic, the ADA is offering up a new expensive experiment - Community Dental Health Coordinators, who aren't allowed to fill teeth, but will educate people that they must seek the dental care which we already know they can't afford and/or can't find.
Beeber says, “Fluoridation isn’t the solution; it’s the problem. Organized dentistry, with its pockets full of corporate cash, ‘fool’ legislators into believing fluoridation is a panacea for the poor when it’s just another way to avoid legislative mandates for dentists to treat Medicaid and Medicare patients.”
The Surgeon General's 2000 report identified oral health as a "silent epidemic." But, nothing changed despite dozens of reports, meetings, hearings, webinars, and conferences, many of which identified fluoride research needs that still haven't been done. States hired fluoridation consultants, dental directors and conduct fluoridation spokesperson training.
According to the Indian Health Services (IHS) (April 2015), American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) preschoolers have the highest level of tooth decay of any population group in the US
IHS reports that "This disparity exists...Despite wide implementation of fluoridation, topical fluorides, dental sealants and oral health education," For example, 3/4 of AI/AN five-year-olds have primary teeth cavities (44% untreated).
According to Oral Health America
“Fluoridation is a public health blunder that must end,” says Beeber. Americans need dental care not fluoride.
http://www.FluorideAction.Net/issues/health
SOURCE: NYS Coalition Opposed to Fluoridation, Inc.