What It Is

Good strong teeth in a child is a priority to conscientious parents. Yet, in spite of the advancements in dental care, more than one fourth of two to five year-olds and half of kids 12 to 15 have one or more cavities. Further, tooth decay has affected two thirds of 16- to 19-year-olds. Many agree with studies that seem to indicate that adding fluoride to public water will decrease the problem of tooth decay. Others strongly disagree.

Fluoride exists naturally in water and is the 13th most common element in the Earth’s crust. Some water has sufficient natural quantities. What should be done when it is not naturally present? Should water systems add fluoride to the supply? The debate has been going on for decades and won’t end here. Many factors are involved in this discussion. The purpose here is to consider a few of these, and to give you some options.

One side says, “Today, water fluoridation is estimated to reduce tooth decay by 20-40%.” “It is well known that fluoride helps prevent and even reverse the early stages of tooth decay.” These statements have the authority of a trained doctor. This one also: “For over 60 years, water fluoridation has proved to be a safe and cost-effective way to reduce dental caries.”

Those favoring the addition of fluoride in water claim that its presence combats tooth decay in two ways. First, it strengthens the developing teeth. Second, it also aids the surface of the teeth by preventing the acid produced by the bacteria in plaque from dissolving, or demineralizing, tooth enamel. Fluoride also allows teeth damaged by acid to remineralize, or repair themselves. It won’t repair cavities, but it can reverse minor tooth decay and prevent new cavities from forming.

The other side makes statements like these: “. . . there is no difference in the tooth decay rates of the fluoridated and nonfluoridated areas surveyed.” They even claim that increased amount of fluoride in children also increases tooth decay.

Too much fluoride during the teeth developing years can cause enamel fluorosis, a mottling or discoloration of the permanent teeth. To add fluoride to water, along with toothpaste and treatments can exceed the maximum level that is safe.

Symptoms of fluoride toxicity may begin 30 minutes after an overdose and last up to 24 hours. These symptoms include increased thirst, vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain, or increased salivation.

Those opposed to the added fluoride say the studies have not considered its long range effects. They claim it is directly linked to changes in bone structure and strength, cancer, has impaired the immune system, has caused birth defects and perinatal deaths, causes initial stages of skeletal fluorosis, inhibits key enzymes, causes osteoarthritis, suppresses thyroid function, and several other serious problems.

What about the studies mentioned above proving that fluoride is good for dental hygiene? Opponents point out the studies had several flaws. First, they did not consider other minerals in the water that could have been the cause of decreased instances of tooth decay. Second, they did not consider the differences between “natural fluoride” (like CaF) and added fluoride (like NaF). Third, the conclusion had little or no statistical analysis. Fourth, it included no safety experiments except for dental fluorosis.

If you conclude that fluoride should not be in your drinking water, what can you do about it? You could buy bottled water but this is expensive. A better choice is to purchase a water filter that removes fluoride. Berkey, for example, has available an additional filter that can we attached to the regular charcoal filters and will remove fluoride from the water. You don’t have to ingest it if you don’t want to.