The Dangers Of Using Fluoride Debate
Many of us around the world put our trust in fluoride everyday to help fight tooth decay, it is a common ingredient in toothpaste and also mouthwash. In fact, several countries also use fluoride in their water supply. A study was undertaken and reported that putting fluoride into table salt reduced dental decay in Jamaica, though many scientists now disagree and actually oppose fluoride and say that it actually causes dental disease, let’s look at a brief history…
A Brief History Of Fluoride
I won’t go “right” back to the beginning here and bore you with the sciences and chemistry of fluoride, what I would like to do is start from where the chemical got introduced to the public which was first in tap water. During the 1940’s fluoride was added to the water supply and many of us around the world thought it to be revolutionary, but do we actually know WHY it was put in there, or even in toothpaste?
Did you know fluoride is actually the main ingredient in rat and cockroach poison? It also increases our aluminium absorption by 600%, aluminium is a cause of alzheimer’s dementia found in the elderly. Fluoride is also more poisonous than lead and can damage the mind and brain of children. The chemical can also raise the risk of cancer, genetic damage and bone disease in animals and humans.
More resources: http://fluoridealert.org/
How Dentists Use Fluoride – The upside?
We all know the main ingredient of toothpaste that is sold in most shops worldwide is fluoride. The other half of the scientists on this debate believe that it help fight tooth decay, here is a little breakdown on how they think fluoride helps:
- Enamel Development – fluoride changes the natural development of enamel, making your teeth more immune to acid.
- Encouraging better enamel to form which is more resistant to acid formation.
- Reduces the plaque bacteria’s ability to produce acids that form on the tooth surface which is one of the main causes of tooth decay.
According to Rich Coffman of siouxcityiacosmeticdentist.com Fluoride treatments at dentists offices are still a widely accepted and highly recommended practice. When done with professional care and moderation, application may help protect the teeth but at what cost?
Many dentists around the world still swear by fluoride and use it in the surgery daily, there are some drawbacks though a too much exposure and consumption of fluoride can lead to something called Dental Fluorosis.
Dental Fluorosis
Fluoride can be found in many foods and of course as said earlier, in our water supply. Excessive exposure and high concentrations of fluoride in children during tooth development can lead to streaky/specs in the enamel of the teeth. In severe cases the teeth will be stained and turn a brown colour. These spots and stains are permanent, but may eventually darken.
For more information about the debate you can read The Fluoride Deception: How a Nuclear Waste Byproduct Made Its Way Into the Nation’s Drinking Water, which is a good read and discusses serious health effects fluoride may have on the human body. Another good read is the American Dental Association which is with the use of fluoride.
What do you think about it’s use? Should we continue using it or take it out of our water supply?
Please comment below, I would love to hear your views!
