Written by 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.
Yay! I’m glad to see that we can try to get closer to healthy standards. While I realize not everyone is super-sensitive to fluoride (stomach cramps are an understatement – scale of 1-10 I’d give the pain an 8) it is also not harmless, as is being proven in recent studies. I’d love to see the city be able to save money while making us healthier!
Drink your water!
Thanks for the tip – I actually hadn’t heard that about milk with fluoridated drinks, but that explains why Chai tea is the only black tea I can drink. I’ll remember that!
I would like to clarify a few things:
1) Fluorsis is unsightly as in mottled looking teeth, but the teeth are in fact rarely weaker, they are still stronger, although they may be pitted or rough. I lived in eastern Washington and a community there had well water with very high levels of fluoride. All the kids had mottled teeth, but rarely a cavity.
2) When you cite “studies” please list them and their sources so we all may look into the information and determine the validity of the studies and what they are trying to state. A lot of the “studies” on fluoride are dubious in their methodology. While some are very valid.
3) This is obviously a passionate topic and there will be plenty of debate, either way. As a public health measure, fluoride has been demonstrated to be very effective in reducing tooth decay, while being inexpensive and generally accessible to all income levels when provided through a municipal water supply. The ADA has a lot of information on Fluoride and prevention http://www.ada.org. Also, http://www.aapd.org/publications/brochures/fluorosis.asp
4) It may be obvious by now that I am a dentist in our community. I support water fluoridation and believe in it completely. At the same time, with the economy, I could always be busier in the office, so either way, it works for me. As a health care professional with a strong sense of what is “right” for our community, I hope we don’t go overboard in this debate. But either way…I’ll be here to take care of those cavities for you.
Take care
I live in Renton and would prefer not to have our water supply fluoridated. Up to 50% of fluoride ingested can be retained in the body. It can contribute to bone cancer, etc. I would rather rely on fluoride toothpaste, fluoride rinse, etc. Adding fluoride to the water is a form of forced medication.
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