Fluoride has been used in dentistry for decades because of its proposed effectiveness in reducing tooth decay. Fluoride is alleged to make enamel more resistant to the acidic by-products of the bacteria in your mouth. Fluorides protect against cavities by inhibiting mineral loss, promoting demineralization of decalcified enamel, and reducing formation of plaque acids. Water fluoridation has consistently been shown to be the most effective, safe, and equitable means of preventing caries and can reduce the prevalence of caries by about half.


However…

This “cure” for the common cavity has come under scrutiny. In the July 2000 Journal of the American Dental Association, Dr. Featherstone published his research on the effectiveness of fluoride in preventing tooth decay. Dr. Featherstone took healthy extracted teeth, measured the teeth for fluoride concentration in the enamel, and immersed the teeth in acid. He found that the fluoride incorporated in the tooth during development was insufficient to withstand the cavity causing acid of oral bacteria. The results were the same when he tested teeth containing 10 times the normal amount of fluoride.

More recently, the Center for Disease Control acknowledged in their report of August 17, 2001:

“The prevalence of dental caries (cavities) in a population is not inversely related to the concentration of fluoride in the enamel, and higher concentrations of enamel fluoride is not necessarily more efficacious in preventing dental caries.”

Fluoride is a waste product of the aluminum and fertilizer industry; when it is introduced into a living body it acts as an enzyme inhibitor, affecting all cells. Fluoride is listed as a lethal poison in the Merck manual, the standard manual on diseases and toxins used as a reference by all physicians in the USA.

Areas of high water fluoridation have:

  • Higher rates of cancer
  • Higher incidence of birth defects (fluoride damages chromosomal enzymes)
  • Higher rates of osteoporosis (fluoride decreases bone strength and elasticity)
  • Higher incidences of hip fractures
  • Lower IQ (fluoride affects central nervous system during early fetal development)

Furthermore, fluoride causes cancer, brittle bones, dental fluorosis (white spots on the teeth), and neurological impairment.

If a child swallows more than a pea size amount of toothpaste, the product label advises to call the poison control center. In dental offices, fluoride treatments are 1000 times more concentrated than toothpaste. Why would we place this in your mouth or in your child’s mouth?

Our philosophy is that your health comes first. We will always remain current with science and provide guidance through the various research. We are committed to offering balanced, sensible treatment.

For more information, see RELATED LINKS (top right), or visit the fluoride section of the IAOMT website.