With Federal guidelines lowered for fluoride, Renton Council will review our flouridation levels

Fluoride has been in the national news lately. Last week the federal government lowered the recommended levels for fluoride in municipal water systems. Then yesterday the EPA announced that it was proposing banning certain pesticides that leave fluoride as a residual product on treated fruits, nuts, and beans and such products as coffee and tea. These actions were taken primarily because when fluoride concentrations are too high, it actually harms teeth instead of helping them–excessive fluoride can cause dental fluorosis, which produces spotting and weakening of the teeth.

In my opinion, these revised federal policies are positive, and they will help achieve a desirable compromise in the persistent debate regarding fluoride in our water systems.

Last year I published this blog entry giving background on the pros and cons of water fluoridation, and asking readers to share their view on water fluoridation– at the time, the debate was once again raging in Issaquah, a city which does not fluoridate its water. I received twenty reader comments on the topic.

I also shared that a close family member has a sensitivity to fluoride and therefore must try to avoid fluoride as much as possible. When she consumes too much fluoride she experiences stomach cramps. She has a reverse osmosis filter to remove fluoride in her home and we have installed one in our home (where she often drinks and dines) just to reduce her total fluoride consumption. She also must currently be careful with tea, nuts and fruits (seeking organic whenever possible) because of fluoride-containing pesticides. Fortunately the EPA ban on these pesticides should resolve this issue.

She got a break from monitoring her fluoride consumption during a year she lived near Tokyo. Japanese municipalities do not fluoridate their water, and they use fewer pesticides that would leave fluoride residues. She was symptom-free all the months she lived there.

In summary, the reduced fluoride levels will help reduce the cases of dental fluorosis in children; and for my daughter and others who must manage their fluoride consumption, the lower federal-recommended levels will be a tremendous advantage.

At our Monday council meeting I referred the subject of Renton’s Water Fluoridation program into our Utility Committee. I’m hoping we can lower our Fluoride levels consistent with the new Federal standards– thus improving our health (fluorosis and otherwise), bringing some compromise to the fluoride debate, and perhaps even saving Renton ten or twenty thousand dollars a year.