Fluoridation Never Proven Safe or Effective & Possibly Unethical, Reports British Medical Journal
NYSCOF
Medical Journal (BMJ) indicate that fluoridation, touted as a safe
cavity preventive, never was proven safe or effective and may be
unethical. (1)
Cavity rates declined equally in fluoridated and non-fluoridated
European countries. "This trend has occurred regardless of the
concentration of fluoride in water or the use of fluoridated salt,"
write Sir Iain Chalmers, editor of the James Lind Library, which was
set up to help people understand the evidence base of medicine, KK
Cheng, professor of epidemiology at Birmingham University, and Trevor
Sheldon, professor and pro-vice-chancellor at York University.
In 1999, England's Department of Health commissioned a systematic
review on the effects of water fluoridation on dental health and to
look for evidence of harm. (York Review). The reviewers were surprised
that fluoridation was long endorsed and promoted with such certainty
when 3200 world-wide papers failed to show any good quality evidence
of benefit or safety. "Thus, evidence on the potential benefits and
harms of adding fluoride to water is relatively poor," the BMJ's
researchers write.
Sheldon, who was also Chair of the York Review's advisory committee,
as well as co-author of the BMJ article, wrote in a different 2006
report that officials promoting fluoridation may have misrepresented
the York Review findings to suit "prior beliefs and policy
intent." (2)
Discussing the ethics of informed consent, the BMJ researchers write,
"This is especially important for water fluoridation, as an
uncontrollable dose of fluoride would be given for up to a lifetime,
regardless of the risk of caries, and many people would not benefit."
Further, they write "In the case of fluoridation, people should be
aware of the limitations of evidence about its potential harms and
that it would be almost impossible to detect small but important risks
(especially for chronic conditions) after introducing fluoridation,"
they write.
Many fluoridation supporters "used the York review's findings
selectively to give an overoptimistic assessment of the evidence in
favor of fluoridation," they write.
Similar problems exist in the U.S. as outlined in the summer 2005
Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons. "Artificial fluoridation
of drinking water... probably does not reduce tooth decay...Proponents of
fluoridation have censored most media, ignored intelligent discussion
of fluoridation, slandered most opponents of fluoridation and
overturned legal judgments against fluoridation in a manner that
demonstrates their political power. Many published studies that had
conclusions favoring fluoridation were later found unsupported by
their raw data," writes JM Kauffman, PhD. (3)
On October 2, 2007,Juneau Alaska voters rejected fluoridation, 61% to
39%, despite the American Dental Association's $150,000 funded
political campaign to return fluoride into Juneau's water supply after
the Juneau legislative body voted it out in November 2006.
Topanga, California residents are fighting to keep their water
fluoride-free. (4) But their County Supervisor won't even meet with
them to hear their concerns (5) as of October 8, 2007.
Paul Connett, PhD, Executive Director of the Fluoride Action Network
says "The BMJ article fails to mention the 2006 National Research
Council fluoride review, the most comprehensive overview of the
toxicology of fluoride ever written. The crucial message of the NRC's
report is that the highest scientific authority in the US has
determined that low levels of fluoride in drinking water may have
serious adverse health effects," says Connett. "Government officials
who continue to promote fluoridation must testify under oath about why
they are ignoring the powerful evidence of harm in the NRC report,"
says Connett.
Paul Beeber, President and General Counsel, New York State Coalition
Opposed to Fluoridation, says "This British Medical Journal article
lends further credence to our efforts to end fluoridation and have
Congressional hearings held in the US concerning the ongoing
government goal to fluoridate more water supplies without individual
consent and without any valid evidence of its safety or
effectiveness."
An online petition to end fluoridation and call for a Congressional
hearing is here http://FluorideAction.Net
Fluoride chemicals are added to 2/3 of U.S. public water supplies
which winds up in virtually 100% of the food supply. The Centers for
Disease Control tells us that many US school children are over
fluoridated, with up to 51% sporting dental fluorosis - white spotted,
yellow, brown and/or pitted enamel. Yet cavities are rising in our
most fluoridated generation - toddlers.
For example, a New York State TV station reported on October 8, 2007
that in Rochester, NY, fluoridated for decades, "40 percent of 162
toddlers [examined] were suffering from baby bottle tooth decay. Most
averaged two cavities; some as many as 20...The cost to one community
can be as much as $1 million annually to treat children with this oral
disease, a tab picked up almost completely by Medicaid...reasons...Many
pediatric dentists won't care for patients as young as one or two and
they often won't accept Medicaid." (6)
References:
(1) "Adding fluoride to water supplies," British Medical Journal, KK
Cheng, Iain Chalmers, Trevor A. Sheldon, October 6, 2007
(2) "Muddy waters: evidence-based policy making, uncertainty and the
'York review' on water fluoridation," Journal Evidence & Policy, Paul
Wilson and Trevor Sheldon Vol 2 No 3 2006 pages 321-31
(3) "Water Fluoridation: a Review of Recent Research and Actions," by
Joel M. Kauffman, PhD, Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons,
Volume 10 Number 2 Summer 2005
(4) Topanga Messenger Online, " Citizens to Zev: Halt Fluoride OPEN
LETTER TO SUPERVISOR YAROSLAVSKY"
http://www.topangamessenger.com/Articles.asp?SectionID=1&ArticleID=2715
(5) Topanga Messenger Online, "Zev to Citizens 'No Comment' Supervisor
Approves $20 Million Grant for Fluoride," by Lee Michaelson
http://www.topangamessenger.com/Articles.asp?SectionID=1&ArticleID=2716
(6) "Screening for ECC in baby teeth," 10/8/2007, by Diana Palotas
http://news10now.com/content/health/healthy_living/?ArID=122323
For more information, contact:
Paul Beeber, President, NYS Coalition Opposed to Fluoridation, Inc.
SOURCE: NYS Coalition Opposed to Fluoridation, Inc.
PO Box 263
Old Bethpage, NY 11804