Pros And Cons Of Fluoride

If left untreated, pulp infection can lead to abscess, destruction of bone, and systemic infection (Cawson et al. 1982; USDHHS 2000). Various sources have concluded that water fluoridation has been an effective method for preventing dental decay (Newbrun 1989; Ripa 1993; Horowitz 1996; CDC 2001; Truman et al. 2002). Water fluoridation is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as one of the 10 great public health achievements in the United States, because of its role in reducing tooth decay in children and tooth loss in adults (CDC 1999). Each U.S. Surgeon General has endorsed water fluoridation over the decades it has been practiced, emphasizing that “[a] significant advantage of water fluoridation is that all residents of a community can enjoy its protective benefit…. A person’s income level or ability to receive dental care is not a barrier to receiving fluoridation’s health benefits” (Carmona 2004). As noted earlier, this report does not evaluate nor make judgments about the benefits, safety, or efficacy of artificial water fluoridation. That practice is reviewed only in terms of being a source of exposure to

The NRC reported in 2007 that fluoride was considered an element essential to life. Fluoride plays an important role in the body’s ability to perform metabolic and biochemical reactions that help prevent tooth decay and help bone formation. Essentially the government says that the fluoridation of water is more helpful than harmful for people as it is a good use of tax dollars as it treats upper class and lower class citizens equally in dental prevention.

Higgs explains in her essay that the use of fluoride has been used in water for some time now and that it is used to help prevent tooth decay as stated in her citations. She further explains that when brushing ones teeth and swallows an “x” amount of toothpaste that that one should called poison control, so why would one be able to drink it? About sixty percent of homes contain fluoride-added water and an average person is suppose to drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day, while the amount of fluoride in each glass contains more than twice the amount (to be consumed) of fluoride allowed in toothpaste (Higgs par.2), and if one had too much

According to World Health Organization data obtained from a study on 12 year old’s levels of tooth decay, fluoride has had very little effect, if any at all, on tooth decay. Countries such as Japan, Italy, and Iceland, who are non-fluoridated countries, actually have about the same level of tooth decay decrease as countries that have fluoridated water. Fluoride is considered a drug, according to the FDA, which means that it is a medical treatment. Medical treatments are not to be given unless the patient agrees to the treatment, therefore, placing fluoride into the public water supply violates informed consent seeing as how citizens are not given the opportunity to vote on the matter. Even if people could vote on the situation, not all people are going to agree with and since it is considered a drug, it

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommendation for the optimal fluoride level in drinking water to prevent tooth decay have changed from 0.7 -1.2 milligrams per liter stablished in 1962 to 0.7 milligrams of fluoride per liter of water. This change was the result of a systematic reviews of the scientific evidence related community water fluoridation since it was incorporated in 1945. As a result of community water fluoridation there was an increase in the percentage of children who were caries-free and a significant decreases in the number of teeth or tooth surfaces with caries in both children and adult. The main reason to lower the recommendation was because Americans nowadays have more sources of fluoride than the ones

Are you aware that fluoride that is used to help keep teeth healthy is actually a harmful compound. The number of products that contain fluoride is actually quite high. Many people may not know it is also in our drinking water. The scary thing is fluoride is now classified as a neurotoxin.

Recent research, however, has consistently shown it to be an insufficient and not an effective form of prevention to tooth decay. In the most largely conducted longitudinal study following infants through childhood, there has been no correlation with increased fluorine concentration in water and decreased tooth decay (Warren, 2008). Yet, there was a correlation between increased water fluoridation and increased dental fluorosis (Warren, 2008). These results align closely with that of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDR) study conducted in 1986-1987. When water fluoride concentration was less than 0.3mg/L, 55.5% children were shown to have tooth decay, while the children with dental fluorosis was 14.6% (Yiamouyiannnis, 1990). However, as the water fluoride concentration increased to over 1.2mg/L, the incidence of children with tooth decay was 56.4%, while the incidence of children with fluorosis rose significantly to 40.5% (Yiamouyiannnis, 1990). Fluoridation of water has also been shown to be

Some of the arguments have proven to hold more weight than others. One reasonable point that is traditionally argued is determining how individuals receive the optimal dosage of fluoride. Noting less affluent communities tend to use tap water for often it would seem reasonable that they would receive an increased body burden. Not only is the amount of public drinking water ingested in each person uncontrollable, the number of fluoridated products a person uses is completely variable. Individuals not only receive fluoride from water, but also toothpastes, mouthwash, certain foods, and beverages, and so is it possible to control the fluoride level for each individual? In a review of water fluoridation, “the EU (European Union) Scientific Committee on Health and Environmental Risks highlight that young children are likely to exceed the upper tolerable limits for fluoride consumption in areas with water fluoridation greater than 0.8 ppm and using fluoride toothpaste” (Peckham and Awofeso). The delivery process of fluoride leaves much to be

This is mainly an aesthetic problem and is, therefore, not as important, perhaps, as cavity prevention. Dean found that the occurrence of fluorosis was lower in areas without high levels of fluoride in the community water. He noticed that, in areas where the community water was artificially fluoridated, fluorosis occurred at a rate of 10–12 percent (Horowitz, 1999). The percentage of fluorosis cases has increased in recent years (G. Pizzo et al., 2007). Fluorosis is mainly of concern to people who can take care of their teeth perfectly well without additional help from fluoridated water consumption. Community water fluoridation may help one part of the population to avoid cavities while causing fluorosis in another part. A self-conscious person may prefer to stand against community water fluoridation to avoid the possibility of fluorosis, which in turn would be damaging to his or her self-esteem. Although fluorosis may not be a severe medical issue, it certainly needs to be considered when deciding whether or not community water fluoridation is

Fluoride is not a beneficial mineral to dental patients because it is harmful. According to the American Cancer Society, “Researchers found evidence of cancer-causing potential of fluoridated drinking water in male rats based on the higher than expected number of cases of osteosarcoma. Fluoridation might affect the risk of osteosarcoma based on the fact that fluoride tends to collect in parts of bones where they were growing” (“Water Fluoridation and Cancer Risk”). Fluoride can potentially cause osteosarcoma, which is bone cancer. Any type of cancer is not presumably an advantage. A patient that receives such a cancer from toothpaste or fluoridated water should really be a concern. This can be nowhere near beneficial to anyone. Dr. Mercola

Fluoride is a natural occurring element found abundantly in the Earth’s crust. It is widely distributed in the lithosphere and is the 13th most common element in the earth’s crust (Lennon et al., 2004, pg. 2). It is found in seawater at a concentrations between 1.2–1.4 mg/L, in groundwater at concentrations up to 67 mg/L, and in most surface waters at concentrations below 0.1 mg/L (IPCS, 2002). While all foods contain traces of fluoride, water and non-dairy beverages are the main sources of ingested fluoride; concentrations of fluoride in public drinking water accounts for 66 to 80% of fluoride intake in the United States (IPCS, 2002).

In another article about water fluoridation, we look at the dental risk and benefits of implementing this program. Well less saturated with pure scientific evidence, it provides factual information in a more understandable manor. The study centers on measurement of decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMF index) in the population of children five to fifteen years old, in Ireland, from the span of 1960 to 2002, in fluoridated and non-fluoridated areas (Harding & O'Mullane, 2013, p. 133). The mean DMF score was significantly lower in children consuming fluoridated water over the rate of occurrence in those with non-fluoridated water (Harding & O'Mullane, 2013, p. 133). Though in recent years, the contrast is less severe. I speculated this may be due to an

Water fluoridation has been happening in America for many decades. It has generally been seen as a good thing as it is purported to fight tooth decay. The Cochrane Collaboration, which is a highly respected group of researchers and doctors who have an excellent reputation for rigorous analysis and assessments of health policy have recently come out with a report that may belie what has been assumed for decades about water fluoridation. They found shockingly few high quality scientific papers on the efficacy or effectiveness of water fluoridation in preventing cavities. This has come as a shock to many in the medical and health field who had assumed it had to be proven since we've been doing it to our water for so many decades.

In this world we face obstacles in a daily manner. With this we are focused mainly on these obstacles, leaving us vulnerable to certain aspects. Behind each line of this society, there is a well kept secret. The most critical secret that is kept is arguably the effects of fluoride.

Shortly thereafter, he noticed that a high amount of children had splotchy brown stains on their teeth. After many years of research, he discovered that an excess amount of natural fluoride coming from their drinking water was the cause of the disease we now know today as fluorosis, but Dr. Mckay, along with another with other top dental hygienists concluded that putting a tiny amount of fluoride in the water would help prevent overall tooth decay, and they eventually got their wish.