Fluoride is a substance that many people are exposed to on a daily basis. It is used in a very controversial way to improve the dental health of the population. The main controversy relates to the addition of fluoride to public water supplies, with some governments requiring the practice and some governments outlawing it. In my opinion, fluoride is a dangerous toxin and is best avoided.
Fluoride was added to drinking water to reduce cavities. Whether or not it actually does is still a matter of debate, especially as vested interests and biased studies have tarnished the picture. It is interesting to note that fluoride was originally a by-product of the aluminum production process and much of the original funding for research into the ‘benefits’ of fluoride in drinking water came from the aluminum companies.
The general public has been largely kept in the dark about the dangers of fluoride. Degenerative brain diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, have been linked to the buildup of toxic substances in the brain, including the toxin fluoride. Cancer, behavioral problems, thyroid suppression, male infertility, and impotence are also some examples of problems associated with toxic fluoride buildup. Furthermore, the combination of fluoride and aluminum is particularly toxic to the brain and is linked to the development of Parkinson’s and Lou Gehrig’s diseases.
The most rapid time of brain growth and development occurs in the last three months of pregnancy and the first two years after birth. This means that the brain is particularly prone to damage from toxins, including fluoride, during that time. Fluoride can also accumulate in the brain, and with each drink of fluoridated water, fluoride levels increase. The number of research studies showing significant toxic damage to the brain caused by fluoride continues to grow. Some of the results of these studies include:
- A Chinese study found that children who drink fluoridated water have lower IQs than those who don’t. Many towns and cities in China have naturally occurring fluoride levels that are high, and Chinese scientists have found lower intelligence, measured as a 10-point drop in IQ, in fluoridated cities.
- An article in the journal Epidemiology showed that children who drank water with EPA-approved levels of fluoride had problems with reading and writing.
- A study of rats found a significant reduction in the brain receptor for learning and memory, the same receptors reduced in early Alzheimer’s disease. While drinking fluoridated water is not the cause of Alzheimer’s disease, there does appear to be a link.
- Fluoride added to water in the presence of even small amounts of aluminum caused severe destruction of brain cells in the part of the brain that controls learning and memory.
- Alzheimer’s patients and children with Down syndrome have dramatic increases in aluminum absorption. Fluoride increases aluminum uptake seven-fold and significantly increases aluminum in the brain. Aluminum is found in foods, canned beverages, cookware, deodorants, vaccines, pesticides, and medications. Aluminum plays an important role in Alzheimer’s disease and possibly in Parkinson’s and Lou Gehrig’s diseases. When aluminum is combined with fluoride, even at concentrations half that of those added to drinking water, it will lead to the destruction of critical brain cells.
- The combination of aluminum and fluoride can increase the risk of ADD, ADHD, dyslexia, and other brain development disorders in children.
- Fluoride accumulates in the pineal gland in the brain. The pineal gland is the source of melatonin (a hormone). Melatonin regulates the onset of puberty and sleep and protects the brain against free radical damage.
- One study compared cancer death rates in the 10 largest fluoridated cities and the 10 largest non-fluoridated cities. These cities had the same number of cancer death rates before fluoridation began. Once cities began fluoridating their drinking water, cancer death rates began to rise. After 13 to 17 years of fluoridation, these cities experienced a 10% increase in cancer death rates compared to cities without fluoridation. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) repeated the study using a larger number of cities and found similar results. These percentages are considered low compared to similar studies conducted in Canada (15%) and in Michigan by the Public Health Service, which found a 22% increase in cancer deaths after fluoridation.
- Increases in the incidence of oral cancers, such as cancers of the tongue and gums, could be as high as 33% – 50%. This is with levels at 45ppm. Toothpaste can contain between 1,000 and 1,500 ppm of fluoride, and fluoride gels used in dental offices contain up to 15,000 ppm. Fluoride varnishes release a high concentration of fluoride continuously into the mouth.
- Fluoride accumulates in bone tissue more than in any other area except the pineal gland. Fluoride concentrations found in bone can be greater than 2,000 ppm. Fluoride in bones is linked to three conditions:
- There is an increased incidence of up to 50% in osteosarcoma in communities with fluoridated water. Osteosarcoma is a cancer that is most often seen in young men in their teens and twenties.
- Fluoride is also associated with the development of calcium overgrowths on the bones (bone spurs) that are potentially disabling, especially if they develop in the spine.
- When fluoride is present in bones, it is shown to weaken cortical bone, the part that gives bone strength, so there is an increased risk of bone fractures.
- One study found genetic damage in cells exposed to just 1 ppm fluoride.
- Other studies have shown that industrial exposure to fluoride in the air leads to a 35% increase in lung cancer. There is also a significantly higher incidence of laryngeal cancer and bladder cancer.
- Fluoride accumulates in the thyroid gland and can suppress its activity. This gets worse when iodine levels are low.
- Reduced sperm counts and infertility have been reported in men working in cryolite (50% fluoride) and aluminum factories. Fluoride added to the drinking water of experimental animals causes significant reductions in sperm count, lower levels of testosterone, and a dramatic increase in abnormal mutated sperm.
This is just a brief summary of some of the evidence showing the harm that fluoride and fluoridation of drinking water can cause. So what about improving our teeth? The American Dental Association, among many others worldwide, promoted fluoridation by suggesting that fluoridated drinking water can reduce cavities by up to 50%. Has this really happened? There are some preliminary studies that suggested an improvement in dental caries. However, a study involving 39,000 school-age children (a very large study sample), found no overall reduction in cavities in communities with fluoride in the water. Another worldwide study showed that children living in areas without fluoride in their water had lower rates of cavities. The fact is that caries rates reflect the quality of the diet, dental hygiene and general health, not the levels of fluoride in the water.
Fluoride is clearly toxic to the body. It accumulates in the tissues and causes damage. This damage can result in cancers, learning and memory difficulties, behavioral problems, and many other conditions. There is, at best, limited evidence that it has any benefit in preventing tooth decay. Because the body has to deal with fluoride like a poison, it’s best avoided in drinking water, toothpaste, vaccines, pesticides and herbicides, medications, and Teflon-coated cookware. If fluoride is added to your local drinking water supply, use a water filter to remove it, you will find many additional benefits in doing so. If you have had exposure to fluoride, you will benefit from full body detoxification.
