By Dr. Mercola
Despite widespread public health adoption, water fluoridation has
come under close scrutiny over the past quarter century. Time has
stripped away fluoridation's rosy glow. Once touted as the
magic solution to dental caries, fluoride's benefit for your teeth – IF
there is any, which is still debatable – comes with overshadowing
downsides.
No matter which scientific studies you examine, or which population
trends you view, the only rational conclusion is that fluoride's health
dangers far outweigh the marginal dental benefits it might offer. The science is very clear about the following:
- Fluoride is a toxic industrial waste product that is a poison to
your body and in no way a "nutrient," offering no benefits at all to
the human body. The fluoride added to water supplies can be contaminated
with lead, arsenic, radionucleotides, aluminum and other industrial
contaminants. Additionally, the fluoride added to municipal water
supplies is not pharmaceutical grade.
- Fluoride exposure comes from tap water, most toothpaste and many
antibiotics, including ones given to farm animals. There is a large
variation in exposure levels, making it impossible to accurately predict
these variables for any person, family or community.
- Fluoride exposure for many can easily reach toxic levels. For
example, poison control should be called if you swallow a quarter
milligram of fluoride from toothpaste. Meanwhile just ONE glass of water can contain this amount of fluoride.
- Fluoride is a cumulative poison that has been proven to cause
wide-ranging, serious health problems, such as damage to your bones,
brain and endocrine system.
- Dental caries can be prevented with means other than fluoridation, thereby avoiding the adverse effects of fluoride.
Fluoride is Found in More than Just Your Drinking Water
Fluoride is found in all natural waters to some degree. It can be
extremely high in groundwater, depending on a number of factors, such as
the types of rocks and minerals of that region. Drinking water is the
largest fluoride source, adding to your exposure from dental products.
But you may not be aware that fluoride is also present in some
surprising places:
- A variety of vegetables and fruits, grains, taro, yams, cassava,
meat, poultry and fish (especially canned fish), milk and tea; most
natural foods have only minor levels of fluoride, but there are a few
exceptions. Tea leaves, for example, tend to concentrate fluoride from
the soil; deboned meat and poultry can be very high in fluoride due to
contamination from bone particles during processing.
- Processed foods and beverages such as sodas, juices, sports drinks, baby foods, etc., are often high in fluoride.
- Air can be tainted with fluoride, particularly in areas with
greater industrial pollution from coal burning and phosphate fertilizer
production; fluoride exposure can also be a problem after volcanic eruptions, as was discovered in southern Iceland.
- Pesticides and cryolite,1 a fluoride-containing mineral used as a pesticide on dozens of food products in the U.S.
- Non-stick pans emit a fluoride gas when heated.
Summary of Fluoride's Potential Health Hazards
It's important to realize that fluoride is a cumulative toxin, which
over time can lead to more serious health concerns than dental fluorosis
(spotting on your teeth). Skeletal fluorosis
from fluoride toxicity can be crippling and even deadly. The
neurological effects are also quite disturbing. There are now 25 studies
showing fluoride is associated with diminished IQ,
even at levels as low as 0.3 to 3 parts per million, which overlaps the
range in many American communities (0.7 to 1.2 ppm). Studies have shown
fluoride toxicity can lead to the wide-ranging problems listed below.
Causes of Dental Caries
Dental caries are caused by demineralization of your teeth (enamel
and dentin) by the acids formed during the bacterial fermentation of
dietary sugars. Demineralization is countered by the deposit of minerals
from your saliva, or remineralization, which is a slow process.
Enthusiasts report that fluoride prevents dental caries by enhancing
mineralization.2
However, dental caries are not caused by a lack of fluoride, just as
depression is not caused by a lack of Prozac. Some of the primary causes
of tooth decay cited in the literature include:
- Consistent use of refined sugar, sugary soft drinks, and processed foods in general
- Children going to bed with a bottle of sweetened drink in their mouth, or sucking at will from such a bottle during the day
- Poor dental hygiene and poor access to and utilization of dental health services, usually related to socioeconomic status
- Mineral deficiencies, like magnesium, which can weaken bones and teeth3
- More than 600 medications promote tooth decay by inhibiting saliva4
By far, excess dietary sugar is the most significant factor. The World Health Organization (WHO)5 and most dental experts agree upon this fact. The evidence for dental caries being a function of social class is weak,6
at best. The massive consumption of sugar in the Western diet,
particularly fructose in high fructose corn syrup, fuels the fire of
tooth decay.
Does Fluoride Help Prevent Tooth Decay?
Fluoride advocates often claim that the reduction in tooth decay
that's occurred since the 1950s is a benefit of fluoridated water, but
the facts just don't add up. For example, in 1999 the CDC claimed that
dental caries declined precipitously during the second half of the 20th
Century. But what they failed to mention is that tooth decay rates
"precipitously declined" in ALL Western nations, regardless of whether
or not fluoridation was used – and most of those countries did NOT
fluoridate!7
The American Dental Association (ADA) has helped the CDC in trying to
pull the wool over your eyes. For years, the ADA has warned that if you
stop fluoridating your water, your rates of tooth decay will increase.
Indeed, if fluoride were effective in preventing caries, you would
expect to see an increase in tooth decay when fluoridation is stopped.
Yet, this is NOT what we see!
This makes it rather ridiculous to argue that water fluoridation is
having any sort of health benefit. The science should be as obvious to
these government agencies as it is to us, yet they continue to deny and
misrepresent the truth, under the pressure of powerful lobbyists holding
the purse strings for the "fluoride industry." When we examine the
trend of dental caries over time, comparing those who are fluoridated to
those who are not, it's easy to understand why so many people are now against fluoridation
– including me. I have long advocated against the use of fluoride, as I
believe there are far better – SAFER ways to improve your family's
dental health.
Scientific Studies You Can't Ignore
The following demographic studies and fluoridation trends make it
clear that fluoridation has very little to do with whether or not you
develop cavities.
- In Japan, fluoridation has been virtually nonexistent since the
1970s, yet rates of dental caries have declined since that time – in
spite of their increased sugar consumption.8
- In the town of Tiel in the Netherlands, water fluoridation was
discontinued in 1973, and by 1993, rates of dental caries had declined.9
- In the town of Kuopio, Finland, water fluoridation was stopped
after 1992. In 1995 and 1998, dental caries had either decreased or
stayed the same.10
- In two towns in former East Germany, a significant fall in the
prevalence of dental caries was seen in the twenty years following
cessation of water fluoridation.11
- In Cuba, water fluoridation was discontinued in 1990, and in March of 1997, dental caries had significantly trended downward.12
- In Canada, "the prevalence of caries decreased over time in the
fluoridation-ended community while remaining unchanged in the
fluoridated community."13
Excessive Fluoride Negates Any Potential Benefit
Bill Osmunson
is a full-time dentist with a Masters Degree in Public Health.
According to Dr. Osmunson, some studies suggest, when viewed in
isolation, that fluoride may offer a minor benefit to your teeth.
However, when you factor in the excessive amounts of fluoride we're
ingesting from multiple sources, any small benefit is lost under the
weight of fluoride's toxic effects.
Remember, fluoride is a cumulative poison.
When authorities try to determine the safety and efficacy of fluoride
in drinking water, they calculate estimated water consumption based on a
location's average temperature, humidity, geology, and the "average"
health status of the people living there – all factors that are so
highly variable that any effort to estimate them are little more than a
wild guess. How can a decision about "dosing" fluoride in your water be
even remotely scientific. Dr. Osmunson explains:
"Is it appropriate to put in a substance into water, where some
people may drink less than a liter a day and others drink up to 19
liters a day? That's a huge difference in the dosage amount of fluoride
that they are getting. And what about the other sources?
Once fluoride became accepted as wonderful, we started putting it
in toothpaste and of course there are the pesticides, the cryolite, and
the post-harvest fumigants.
And then there are the dental fillings, the dental topical treatment,
the fluoride varnishes in the medical products, and the Teflon pans... I
started to look at how much we are getting. We're getting much more –
two to three times more than when they started fluoridation."
Early on, there were some convincing studies showing fluoride made
teeth harder and more able to withstand acids. However, when Dr.
Osmunson delved deeper into the literature, he found that the evidence
supporting fluoride really wasn't as strong as it first seemed, and
fluoride didn't appear to reduce tooth decay to any significant degree.
In fact, there's even substantial evidence that populations with less
fluoride have less decay. If you would like to hear more from Dr.
Osmunson, I invite you to watch our 2011 interview on this topic.
Top Ten Ways to Avoid Fluoride
F.A.N. is one of the leading organizations that is working feverishly
to eliminate fluoride from the water supply. Dr. Paul Connett is one of
our Health Liberty partners and we deeply appreciate and applaud all
his organization's hard efforts. We have reprinted their excellent
recommendations on how to decrease your fluoride exposure below.
1) Stop Drinking Fluoridated Water:
Tap water consumption is, on average, the largest daily source of
fluoride exposure for people who live in areas that add fluoride to the
water. Avoiding consumption of fluoridated water is especially critical
for infants. If you live in area which fluoridates its water, you can avoid drinking the fluoride in one of three ways:
- Water Filters: One way of avoiding the fluoride
from tap water is to purchase a water filter. Not all water filters,
however, remove fluoride. The three types of filters that can remove
fluoride are reverse osmosis, deionizers (which use ion-exchange
resins), and activated alumina. Each of these filters should be able to
remove about 90% of the fluoride. By contrast, "activated carbon"
filters (e.g., Brita & Pur) do not remove fluoride. For more
information on water filters, click here.
- Spring Water: Another way to avoid fluoride
from tap water is to purchase spring water. Most brands of spring water
contain very low levels of fluoride. Some brands, however, do contain
high levels (e.g., Trinity Springs). Before consuming any bottled water
on a consistent basis, therefore, you should verify that the fluoride
content is less than 0.2 ppm, and ideally less than 0.1 ppm. You can
find out the level of fluoride level in some of the popular brands here.
You can also find out the fluoride level by calling the number on the
water label. (Most companies have this information readily available.)
- Water Distillation: A third way to avoid
fluoride from the tap is to purchase a distillation unit. Water
distillation will remove most, if not all, of the fluoride. The price
for a distillation units varies widely depending on the size. Small
counter-top units cost as little as $200, while large units can exceed
$1,000.
If you don't know if your area is fluoridated, you can find out by
contacting your local water department. If you live in the U.S., you can
also find out by going to FAN's State Fluoride Database.
2) Don't Let Your Child Swallow Fluoride Toothpaste
Fluoride toothpaste is often the largest single source of fluoride intake for young children, and is a major risk factor for disfiguring dental fluorosis. This is because children swallow a large amount of the paste that they put in their mouth. In fact, research
has shown that it is not uncommon for young children to swallow more
fluoride from toothpaste alone than is recommended as an entire day's
ingestion from all sources.
If you have a young child, therefore, we recommend that you use a
non-fluoride toothpaste. If, however, you do use fluoride toothpaste,
it's very important that you supervise your children while they brush to
make sure they use no more than a "pea-sized amount" of paste, and that
they fully rinse and spit and after they finish. And, lastly, do not
purchase candy flavored toothpaste (e.g., bubble-gum and watermelon) as
these toothpastes (which still contain adult-strength concentrations of
fluoride) increase the risk that your children will swallow it (and actually want to swallow it).
3) Do NOT Get Fluoride Gel Treatments at the Dentist
Although dental researchers have stated on numerous occasions that
fluoride gel treatment should ONLY be used for patients at highest risk
of cavities, many dentists continue to apply fluoride gels
irrespective of the patient's cavity risk. The fluoride gel procedure
requires the patient to clamp down on a tray for 4 minutes and uses an
extremely concentrated, acidic fluoride gel (12,300 ppm). Because of the
fluoride gel's high acidity, the saliva glands produce a large amount
of saliva during the treatment, which makes it extremely difficult (both
for children and adults) to avoid swallowing the gel.
Even when dentists use precautionary measures such as suction
devices, children and adults still ingest significant quantities of the
paste, which can cause incredibly high spikes of fluoride in the blood
(for up to 15 hours). These fluoride levels place patients, particularly
children, at risk for stomach pain, nausea and vomiting, and places a
person at risk for short-term kidney damage, harm to the reproductive
system, and impairment to glucose metabolism. The next time your dentist
asks you whether you want a fluoride gel treatment, say NO.
4) Eat More Fresh, Less Processed Food
When water is fluoridated, it is not just the water that is
fluoridated, but all beverages and foods that are made with the water.
As a general rule, therefore, the more processed a food is, the more fluoride it has. The good news is that the naturally occurring levels
of fluoride in most fresh water (e.g., spring water) and most fresh
food (e.g., fruits, vegetables, grain, eggs, milk) is very low. Use this
fact to your advantage by trying to shift as much as you can from
processed foods to fresh. Also, since processed beverages (e.g., sodas,
reconstituted juices, sports drinks) contribute far more to fluoride
intake than processed foods, it is most important to focus on reducing
your consumption of processed beverages. For more detailed information
on how you can cut down on your fluoride intake from processed foods,
see FAN's Grocery Store Guide: 7 Ways to Avoid Fluoride in Beverages and Food.
5) Buy Organic Grape Juice and Wine
In the United States, many vineyards use a fluoride pesticide
called cryolite. As a result, the levels of fluoride in U.S. grape
juice and wine (particularly white grape juice and white wine) are
consistently elevated. Indeed, in 2005, the USDA reported that the
average level of fluoride exceeded 2 ppm for both white wine and white
grape. The levels of fluoride in red wine are also elevated (1 ppm), and
so are raisins (2.3 ppm). If you buy grape juice and wine, or if you
are a heavy consumer of raisins, buy organic. In the case of wine, if
don't want to spend the extra money on organic, consider purchasing a
European brand, as Europe uses far less cryolite than the U.S.
6) Reduce Your Tea Consumption (and/or Drink Tea with Younger Leaves)
Be careful of drinking too much tea,
particularly bottled and instant varieties. The tea plant accumulates
high levels of fluoride, and excess intake of tea is known to cause a
painful bone disease called skeletal fluorosis.
Some teas though contain high levels of health-boosting antioxidants.
Not only are antioxidants good for health in general, they also help to
protect you from fluoride toxicity.
In the ideal scenario, one could drink tea with high levels of
antioxidants but low levels of fluoride. Recent research suggests that
this might be a somewhat obtainable goal. It has recently been shown
that the antioxidant levels in tea are far higher in young leaves,
than old leaves. This is important because young leaves also happen to
have lower levels of fluoride. Indeed, it has been proposed that the
fluoride content of tea is an indicator of its quality: the higher the
fluoride, the lower the quality, and vice versa.
If you love tea, therefore, try to purchase varieties that are made
from young leaves (e.g., "White tea"). This will allow you to maximize
tea's known benefits, while reducing its known harm.
Towards this end, avoid bottled and instant teas
as they have been to contain low-quality leaves that have very low
levels of antioxidants. With bottled and instant tea, therefore, you get
the risk (fluoride) without the benefit (antioxidants).
Another option is to drink yerba matte – a caffeinated herbal tea
from South America that contains very low levels of fluoride (< 0.2
ppm).
7) Avoid Cooking with Non-Stick Pans
Some research has found that cooking with non-stick-coated pans can
significantly increase the fluoride content of food. If you have
non-stick pans, consider switching to ceramic or another type of safe
pan.
8) Don't Take Cipro and Be Mindful of Other Fluorinated Pharmaceuticals
Many pharmaceuticals are fluorinated,
which means they contain something called a "carbon-fluorine bond."
Although the carbon-fluoride bond is strong enough to resist breaking
down within the body, this is not always the case.
Some fluorinated drugs have been found to metabolize into fluoride
within the body and this greatly increases a person's exposure to
fluoride. The most notable example is Cipro. Other fluorinated chemicals
that are currently known to break down into fluoride include
fluorinated anesthetics (Isoflurane & Sevoflurane), Niflumic acid,
Flecainide, and Voriconazole. If you are taking any of these drugs, find
out if there are any safer alternatives available.
9) Minimize Consumption of Mechanically-Deboned Chicken:
Most meats that are pulverized into a pulp form (e.g., chicken
fingers, chicken nuggets) are made using a mechanical deboning
processes. This mechanical deboning process
increases the quantity of bone particles in the meat. Since bone is the
main site of fluoride accumulation in the body, the higher levels of
bone particle in mechanically deboned meat results in significantly
elevated fluoride levels. Of all the meats that are mechanically
deboned, chicken meat has consistently been found to have the highest
levels. Thus, minimize consumption of mechanically-deboned chicken.
10) Avoid Fluoridated Salt
If you live in a country which allows fluoridated salt to be sold,
make sure that the salt you buy is unfluoridated. Consumption of
fluoridated salt can greatly increase a person's fluoride exposure. To
see a list of countries that allow fluoridated salt, click here. (From: www.fluoridealert.org)
If Water Fluoridation Doesn't Prevent Tooth Decay, Then What Does?
Many of the researchers who found decreased rates of dental caries
after cessation of water fluoridation credited fluoridated dental
products (such as toothpaste) and fluoridized salt. Many researchers
seem to be unable to believe your dental health could be independent of
fluoride, in some form or another. The WHO even recommends fluoridating milk!
Researchers also credit improved dental hygiene, increased awareness of
the importance of dental health, dental health plans, fissure sealants,
and better nutrition as potential factors.
I'm not a fan of fluoridated toothpaste or fluoridated anything else –
in order to remain within the "safe limits," you'd have to use such a
small amount of fluoridated toothpaste that one tube would last you
several years. But I AM a strong advocate of proper nutrition and good
dental hygiene.
Tooth decay is generally believed to be caused by acids in your
mouth, typically created from sugar being metabolized by bacteria (Streptococcus mutans).
You typically don't find dental caries in primitive societies that
don't consume excessive sugar. Environmental chemist and
anti-fluoridation activist Dr. Paul Connett agrees that sugar is a huge problem, stating:
"We need education, not fluoridation. That education would have a
double dividend. By avoiding high fructose sugar, we'll not only score a
huge benefit with dental decay but also with obesity and health."
Dr. Osmunson has some interesting insights on the cause of tooth
decay as well. He explains how historic studies on fluoridation showed
that naturally occurring fluoride also happens to be found in areas rich
in calcium and other minerals. This higher mineral content, as opposed
to higher fluoride, might be the real reason some people have lower levels of tooth decay.
Preventing Tooth Decay, Safely and Naturally
The evidence for fluoridation is based on misused and misinterpreted
data. Fluoridation is ineffective and may offer no benefit at all for
your teeth, not to mention placing your overall health in jeopardy. Here
are my basic guidelines for optimizing your dental health, safely and
naturally:
- Avoid fluoridated water and fluoridated toothpaste.
- Minimize your sugar and grain consumption. Keep your fructose intake to less than 25 grams per day. Avoid processed foods.
- Make sure you consume a diet rich in fresh, whole foods,
fermented vegetables, and grass-fed meats, which will ensure you're
getting plenty of the minerals that are so important for strong bones
and teeth.
- Practice good oral hygiene, as explained by Dr. Osmunson in the interview above; get regular cleanings from a mercury-free natural dentist.
- Consider oil pulling with coconut oil, which is a powerful inhibitor of a large variety of pathogenic organisms.
