Fluoride is one of the most toxic chemicals in our environment. Did you know that?  It is more toxic than lead and only slightly less toxic than arsenic, according to the Clinical Toxicology of Commercial Products handbook.  Fluoride accumulates in the body over time, and has been shown to damage teeth, bones, kidneys, muscles, nerves, and immune function. It also causes genetic damage. So how much fluoride are Americans exposed to? Too much!

 Even the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is now concerned that we are getting too much fluoride. Skeletal fluorosis is a disease that weakens bones in a manner similar to osteoporosis. Fluoride causes this disease! Early stages are usually misdiagnosed as arthritis, and the advanced stages are usually misdiagnosed as osteoporosis. The minimum crippling fluoride dosage (the dosage that can cause skeletal fluorosis) is 5 mg/day for 20 to 40 years, according to the National Academy for the Advancement of Science. The World Health Organization’s 1970 report Fluorides and Human Health, found that skeletal fluorosis occurs in India at a daily intake of 2 to 8 mg/day. Considering the damage that can be caused over time by fluoride, it’s astonishing that Americans living in areas with fluoridated water average up to 6.6 mg/day!

 Ostensibly, the reason we put fluoride in our water and toothpaste is to prevent tooth decay. Indeed, tooth decay has declined worldwide since the 1970s, and fluoride is often given credit. The exact reason for the decline is unknown, however it is interesting to note that tooth decay has declined at the same rate in countries that do not use fluoride. Japan and all of continental Europe have rejected fluoride for safety reasons. Fluoride experiments in third world countries were terminated because of the harmful effects.

 The truth about fluoride is gradually coming out, as shown by some of these studies:

·         In 1987, a study published in the Journal of the Canadian Dental Association found that areas reporting the highest cavity-free rates were totally unfluoridated. This data suggests that fluoride actually causes tooth decay.

·         In 1989, Chemical and Engineering News published an analysis of data collected by the National Institute of Dental Research. It found that children who drink fluoridated water have levels of tooth decay virtually identical to those who do not.

·         In 1993, the Canadian Dental Association officially concluded that fluoride does not prevent tooth decay.

·         In California, a study of 1994 and 1995 Medi-Cal data shows that counties with fluoridated water had significantly higher per capita costs for dental care.

·         A study of 60,000 children in New Zealand found that fluoride had no significant effect on the number of cavities in permanent teeth, and another New Zealand study found that a decline in tooth decay occurred before the introduction of fluoride.

·         A study of 39,000 children by the U.S. Public Health Service found that the decay rate was virtually the same between fluoridated and unfluoridated areas.

 These studies again suggest that fluoride does not prevent, and may even cause dental problems. But the alarming fact is that in over 50 years of testing and widespread use, there is still no scientific proof that fluoride prevents tooth decay.

 If fluoride doesn’t prevent tooth decay, what does it do? It can cause a type of fluoride poisoning called dental fluorosis. Dental fluorosis is a malformation of tooth enamel characterized by brittleness and discoloration, ultimately damaging the health of the teeth. A recent national study found that 22% of U.S. children have some degree of dental fluorosis. In 1993, it was reported that 80.9% of the children 12 to 14 years of age in Augusta, Georgia had dental fluorosis, and 14% of these were in the moderate to severe category. Dentists tell people that fluorosis is a cosmetic problem. It’s really a sign of fluoride poisoning. In fact, x-rays of children with dental fluorosis often show bone abnormalities elsewhere in the body.

 The damage that fluoride has done, and will continue to do still piles up. Bone cancer rates are 80% to 600% higher in communities with fluoridated water. According to Dr. William Marcus, a senior scientist at the EPA, fluoride is the only substance known to cause bone cancer. Fluoride makes bones brittle, and hip fracture rates are 20% to 40% higher in fluoridated communities. In animal studies, fluoride causes hyperactivity. A 1996 study in China showed that fluoride adversely affected children’s IQs. Mortality rates are higher in fluoridated communities. New Alzheimer’s research implicates a reaction between aluminum and low-dose fluoride as a cause of the disease. The heart disease death rate more than doubled in Grand Rapids, Michigan after five years of fluoridation. Deaths from flu and pneumonia are higher in fluoridated communities. A 1978 study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that “This pattern of a higher crude death rate in the cities with fluoridated water supplies was apparent for all categories of death except for those by accidental means and suicide.” Fluoride is a powerful enzyme poison. It fundamentally damages cell functions, thereby increasing mortality.

 If all of this is true and fluoride is killing people, why are we still putting it in our drinking water and toothpaste? How on earth did it ever get FDA approval? Truth be told, the FDA never approved it! That’s right, we’ve been using this stuff for half a century and it does not have FDA approval. All this time it has been classified as an unapproved new drug. No one has ever been able to prove that fluoride is either safe or effective, and both are necessary for FDA approval.

 Once again, we ask ourselves the question “why is this happening?” One reason is economics. It’s happening because there’s money to be made selling fluoride, and because everyone involved fears the legal repercussions of admitting their error. Fluoride is a byproduct of the aluminum and phosphate fertilizer industries. It is so incredibly toxic that even one part hydrogen fluoride per billion will totally devastate vineyards and orchards. Naturally, disposing of something that toxic is both difficult and expensive. Rather than spend money for disposal, the solution is to convince everybody that fluoride prevents tooth decay, and then sell it to water suppliers who disperse it into billions of gallons of water. The economic incentive to do this is enormous. An added bonus—the teeth mottled by dental fluorosis look bad and have spawned a new, highly profitable market for cosmetic dentistry!

 If you have been reading toothpaste labels of late, you will have noticed a change. The government now requires a warning that reads: “If you accidentally swallow more than the amount needed for brushing, seek professional help or contact a poison control center immediately.” Why contact a poison control center? Immediately!? Because there’s enough fluoride (among other things) in that toothpaste tube to kill a child. Other warnings on labels read, “Don’t Swallow - Use only pea-sized amount for children under six.” and “Children under six should be supervised while brushing with any toothpaste to prevent swallowing.” Studies show that children under six use too much toothpaste and they swallow a lot of it, especially if it tastes good. Not that you have to swallow it to get poisoned—fluoride goes right through the mucus membranes of the mouth. Fortunately, these warnings are the first signs of recognition of the toxic effects of fluoride, and they bring us a little closer to ending fluoride use.

 Cigarette manufactures are being forced to pay hundreds of billions for knowingly selling dangerous products. Just imagine what will be happening in the future as toothpaste manufacturers, municipal water suppliers, and dental professionals are held accountable for the damage they have done to the health of the American people. This is why you are seeing the warning labels, but no one involved is yet ready to admit the truth because the consequences are unimaginable.

 Fluoride is a persistent bioaccumulator, and the amount found in bone tissue increases with both dosage and time. So how do we reduce our exposure to fluoride? First, stop using toothpaste that contains fluoride. After an eighteen-month search, I identified Weleda toothpaste as a safe and effective product. Changing brands is a simple choice that can significantly reduce your toxic load. (To order Weleda, call 800-250-3063.) Next, don’t drink tap water. If your water supply is being poisoned with fluoride, drink high quality bottled water instead. Then, avoid products made with fluoridated water such as colas, soft drinks, fruit juices, beer, and any number of prepared foods including soups and breakfast cereals. Consider that one can of soda or glass of commercial fruit juice contains half a milligram of fluoride. Some children drink more than a quart of fruit juice a day. Teenagers average more than three soft drinks a day and 7% of them drink more than seven! Because our exposure to fluoride far exceeds any prudent limits, do what it takes to keep your own fluoride intake below 2 mg/day.

 There is now so much fluoride in the environment it is impossible to avoid it all. However, by making simple choices that minimize your fluoride exposure, you can help to keep your overall toxic load at manageable levels. As always, health is a series of choices and this is one of them.

 Raymond Francis is an M.I.T.-trained scientist, author of Never Be Sick Again, and an internationally recognized leader in the emerging field of optimal health maintenance.                

Reprinted with permission from:

Beyond HealthÒ News

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