Cottonwood Heights, Utah Dentists
Fluoride in Tap Water
The World Health Organization and the CDC have shown that putting fluoride in tap water does not reduce cavities. (Please see the graphs below.) Independent research has also shown fluoridated water to have negative effects on the bones, thyroid, and even the brain. Talk to the City Council and make them aware of a study done by the National Academy of Sciences called Fluoride in Drinking Water. Hydrofluosilicic acid is a dangerous waste product, and it needs to be removed from our water.
Water Fluoridation is a highly debated practice. The stated purpose behind adding this drug to the water supply is to prevent cavities. Because it was cost effective, and there were no documented side-effects, it was put into practice in most major cities across the U.S. However, many people are concerned about medicating our tap water. As there is no such thing as a drug with no side-effects, those concerns may be justified. Let's look at some of the facts.
Start by reading the back of your toothpaste container. Most brands contain about 24mg of sodium fluoride, and they suggest using a "pea-sized" amount of paste on your brush. There is also a warning. If you swallow more than a "pea-sized" drop of toothpaste, you'll need to contact Poison Control immediately. This indicates that swallowing more than 24mg of sodium fluoride is poisonous. That's disturbing when you consider that 1 cup of tap water also contains 24mg of sodium fluoride. So, how is 24mg of sodium fluoride in toothpaste different from 24mg of sodium fluoride in water? Let's just say that there is a reason why the ADA recommends NOT giving fluoridated water to infants.
Dental fluorosis is caused by receiving too much fluoride. Children are especially sensitive to this. According to the CDC, 1 in 3 children have dental fluorosis. In other words, 1 in 3 children are receiving too much fluoride.
Are the benefits worth the risk to our health? In short, no. We don't actually know if there are benefits at all. The chart below shows that countries without fluoridated water experienced the same decline in cavities as countries with fluoridated water. The second chart shows similar results within the U.S. As fluoridation increased, there was no visible effect.
Tooth decay reduced regardless of fluoridation.
Tooth decay remained the same regardless of fluoridation.