Since 2010, more than 75 U.S. and Canadian communities have voted to end water fluoridation Most recently, in Kirkland Lake, a community of 9,000 in Northeastern Ontario, Canada, the city council unanimously voted in favor of a motion to not add fluoride to the town’s water Council members, and the town’s mayor, voiced ethical concerns about adding fluoride to the water supply without informed consent, as well as health concerns, such as the amount of fluoride babies ingest when drinking fluoridated tap water Fluoride compounds like fluorosilicic acid are toxic industrial waste products, which can also be contaminated with lead, arsenic, radionucleotides, aluminum and other industrial contaminants; along with posing a grave risk to the environment, fluoride is linked to numerous human health risks \ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\Education\Political\12-days-of-christmas-2012-article-sidebanner.jpg)
By Dr. Mercola
Since 2010, more than 75 U.S. and Canadian communities have voted to end water fluoridation – an outdated practice that amounts to a form of compulsory "mass medication" for entire city populations.
Most recently, in Kirkland Lake, a community of 9,000 in Northeastern Ontario, Canada, the city council unanimously voted in favor of a motion to refrain from adding fluoride to the town's water.
Initially the water fluoridation was stopped in September because the fluoridation tanks needed to be replaced, a step that would have cost the town up to $375,000.
But what began as a financial issue soon progressed into a much deeper debate, as council members voiced their concerns about adding this toxic "drug" to their residents' water supplies.
Cost was not the driving force behind the council members' unanimous vote to end water fluoridation in this family community. Among the many concerns raised were:1
Councilor Tony Antoniazzi noted that "he does not believe he has the right or the qualifications to tell people they must ingest fluoride and for that reason is opposed to fluoridation." Councilor Jean-Guy Chamaillard raised concern about babies ingesting the same amount of fluoride as adults, which may pose higher health risks to this far more susceptible population. Councilor Al French said "there is very little benefit from fluoride." Councilor Tom Barker also had concerns about the fact that babies would ingest the same amount of fluoride as a person his size. Mayor Bill Enouy asked, "Why do I want to put something in people's water system? I do not think that is ethical." As the Fluoride Action Network (FAN) reported, "Enouy concluded that a few years ago asbestos was considered safe and water was delivered in lead pipes and it was not until people studied these did they know they were unsafe."City councilors in Cornwall, Canada also recently heard from local citizens who want the city to quit putting fluoride in their drinking water, and pointed out that the fluoride studied by health agencies is different from what is actually used in drinking water.
The issue of what kind of fluoride is actually added to your water is a point of major importance, as many people still do not realize that when scientists study fluoride's toxicity to humans, they study pharmaceutical-grade fluoride (the same kind used in dental products), but NOT the fluoride compounds actually used for water fluoridation, which include the far more toxic waste materials generated from the fertilizer industry. So, in essence, their already detrimental results may in fact be FAR GREATER than currently perceived.
It's a hazardous waste product, at least as classified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It is so toxic it can't legally be put in oceans, rivers or lakes, or added to soil – but it can be sold as an additive to commercial water supplies! As FAN reported:2
"Fluoride is a major industrial pollutant, one which has caused widespread damage to fluoride-exposed workers and downwind communities. During the Cold War, fluoride was responsible for more litigation against U.S. industry than all other air pollutants combined.
Although the development of modern pollution control technology has resulted in significant reductions in fluoride emissions, millions of workers around the world remain at risk for respiratory, neurological, and bone diseases from fluoride exposure, and downwind communities remain at risk in countries with weak environmental regulation."
And then there is the central issue of your health freedom, and your right to informed consent. The fluoride added to drinking water is not a nutrient or a prescription drug, but actually an industrial waste product. Despite this, it is being put into your water as a "drug," ostensibly to improve your oral health, and yet it is being done without your explicit permission.
Even promoters of fluoridation now admit that fluoride's predominant action is topical, on the surface of the tooth (although even this is now being questioned), and not from inside your body – so why are so many Americans and others around the world still being forced to swallow it when swallowing fluoride provides little or no benefit to your teeth?
Fluoride compounds like fluorosilicic acid are toxic industrial waste products, which can also be contaminated with lead, arsenic, radionucleotides, aluminum and other industrial contaminants. There are, in fact, so many scientific studies showing the direct, toxic effects of fluoride on your body, it's truly remarkable that it's still not considered a chemical we should be going out of our way to avoid.
Did you know that earlier this year, the New Hampshire House of Representatives voted 253-23 in favor of mandating infant fluoride warnings on all water bills in fluoridated communities? According to the text of the bill, the warning would read, in part:
"According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, if your child under the age of 6 months is exclusively consuming infant formula reconstituted with fluoridated water, there may be an increased chance of dental fluorosis."
Dental fluorosis -- a condition in which your tooth enamel becomes progressively discolored and mottled -- is one of the first signs of over-exposure to fluoride. But dental fluorosis is not "just cosmetic." It can also be an indication that other tissues, such as your bones and internal organs, including your brain, have been overexposed to fluoride as well.
For example, 36 different studies3 now support the contention that water fluoridation lowers IQ in children. Other studies have focused on its adverse impact on thyroid, bones and joints, and your brain, while many refuse to consider the skyrocketing increase of cognitive decline in adults (Alzheimer's and various dementia's), and behavioral issues in children (ADD, ADHD, depression and learning disabilities of all kinds) and the possible link to fluoride. Studies have shown that fluoride toxicity may lead to a wide variety of health problems, including:
Disrupts synthesis of collagen Inactivates 62 enzymes and inhibits more than 100 Inhibited formation of antibodies Increased tumor and cancer rate Damaged sperm and increased infertility
If you live in the United States, then you undoubtedly have been exposed to mass psychological conditioning. With the average American being accosted with thousands of advertisements each day, whether blatant or not, many pieces of "conventional wisdom" are actually contrived and implanted into society. One method of doing so is through driving public opinion -- the idea that if most people believe it, then it must be true.
This is the case with water fluoridation, which most have been "brainwashed" to believe is safe and beneficial for your teeth. In reality, here are 10 facts that will help to open your eyes about what's really being added to your drinking water:
Bottle-fed infants receive the highest doses of fluoride as they rely solely on liquids for food, combined with their small size. A baby being fed formula receives approximately 175 times more fluoride than a breast-fed infant There is not a single biological process in your body that requires fluoride A multi-million dollar U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) -funded study found no relation between tooth decay and the amount of fluoride ingested by children Water fluoridation cannot prevent the oral health crises that results from inadequate nutrition and lack of access to dental care Water fluoridation is a violation of your inviolable right to consent to, and be properly informed about, the medications we are being given Forty-one percent of all American children aged 12-15 are now impacted by dental fluorosis, rising to more than 60 percent of children in fluoridated communities The chemicals used to fluoridate water supplies are largely hazardous byproducts of the fertilizer industry and have never been required to undergo randomized clinical trials for safety or effectiveness by any regulatory agency in the world The U.S. FDA classifies ingested fluoride for purposes of reducing tooth decay as an "unapproved drug" Ingesting fluoride has been found to damage soft tissues (brain, kidneys, and endocrine system), as well as teeth (dental fluorosis) and bones (skeletal fluorosis). There are also 36 studies demonstrating a strong relationship between fairly modest exposure to fluoride and reduced IQ in children Fluoridation discriminates against those with low incomes. People on low incomes are least able to afford avoidance measures, such as reverse osmosis filters or bottled water. Moreover, those with poor nutrition are more vulnerable to fluoride's toxic effects.
You may be surprised to learn that in the United States, which fluoridates over 70 percent of its water supplies, there are more people drinking fluoridated water than in the rest of the world population combined. In fact, water fluoridation is not done in most other developed nations, including Japan and 97 percent of Western Europe.4 FAN reported:5
"In the United States, the Oral Health Division of the Centers Disease Control (CDC) hails fluoridation as one of the "top ten public health achievements of the 20th century." However, comprehensive data from the World Health Organization reveals that there is no discernible difference in tooth decay between the minority of western nations that fluoridate water, and the majority that do not. In fact, the tooth decay rates in many non-fluoridated countries are now lower than the tooth decay rates in fluoridated ones.
As is becoming increasingly clear, fluoridating water supplies is an outdated, unnecessary, and dangerous relic from a 1950s public health culture that viewed mass distribution of chemicals much differently than scientists do today."
Recently several communities have made the switch to becoming fluoride-free:
O'Fallon, Missouri: This town of 80,000 has decided to discontinue water fluoridation after a citizen activist brought its dangers to the attention of city employees. The change is not only slated to save the city $18,000 a year, it's also expected to "reduce the hazard for the operators in that they do not have to handle the dangerous chemical on a regular basis." Rosetown, Saskatchewan: After a fluoride feed-pump broke, this small community of 2,300 decided not to continue water fluoridation in the future. Lake View, Iowa: The city council voted to discontinue fluoridation based on its high cost and lack of positive economic benefit. Cassadaga, New York: Citizen opposition influenced Village Board members to vote to reject water fluoridation. In a town survey, 78 percent of water customers said they opposed the practice.The Fluoride Action Network has a game plan to END water fluoridation in both Canada and the United States, and is working tirelessly to broaden awareness among citizens, scientists, and policymakers alike about the toxicity of fluoride compounds.
The research speaks for itself that unnecessary fluoride exposure should be avoided at all costs, and certainly not be ingested intentionally. At least when it comes to topical application, you have a choice. You can easily buy fluoride-free toothpaste and mouthwash, if you so choose. But you're stuck with whatever your community puts in its water, and it's very difficult to filter out of your water once it's added. Plus, many do not have the resources or the knowledge to do so.
If you'd like to support the work of the Fluoride Action Network to minimize or eliminate the public's exposure to fluoride, please consider giving a tax-deductible donation to FAN today. For the month of December, I'll be matching up to $10,000 in donations, so now more than ever your donation can make a significant difference.
In the meantime, remember that good oral health and strong, healthy teeth are NOT the result of drinking fluoridated water and brushing your teeth with fluoridated toothpaste. Rather it's virtually all about your diet. By avoiding sugars and processed foods, you prevent the proliferation of the bacteria that cause decay in the first place. This simple act -- along with regular cleanings with your natural mercury-free dentist -- will help ensure that your teeth and gums stay healthy and cavity-free.
