When you hear the word “fluoride,” you might associate it with good dental health – not tooth discoloration or decay.
Nearly 50 years ago, the United States government began putting fluoride chemicals in our drinking water, with the goal of preventing cavities and tooth decay. Now, decades later, a staggering 41 percent of adolescents ages 12-15 have some form of dental fluorosis defects on their teeth. Fluorosis is caused by overexposure to fluoride and can cause white streaks or specks on the teeth, tooth discoloration and pitted or rough enamel.
There is more to the practice of water fluoridation than people realize, so I wanted to share what I have learned over the years about fluoridation in our water – and why the government should stop adding fluoride chemicals to our water immediately.
Many medical experts have expressed serious concern about the safety of fluoridated drinking water, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that parents can mix baby formula with low fluoride water:
“Although formula itself has low amounts of fluoride, if your child is exclusively consuming infant formula reconstituted with fluoridated water, there may be an increased chance for mild dental fluorosis.” – CDC
Gerber is selling bottles of non-fluoridated water that parents can use for their infant children. However, as Atlanta leaders have pointed out, bottled water is not always an option for low-income families.
Supporters of fluoridation in water have claimed for years that the practice has been extensively studied and that it is safe. However, according to a 2006 National Research Council report, the whole-body effects of fluoridation have NOT been extensively studied. In fact, NRC recommends MORE research on fluoride’s effects on our brain, bones and renal function.
As dentist Gerald Curatola mentions in the below video segment, we have to consider what fluoride is doing to the inside of our body.
I encourage you to visit Moms Against Fluoridation’s website to learn more about what you can do to help end fluoridation in our drinking water and protect our children’s health.
