Fluoride is being put in our toothpastes, mouthwashes, mints, and even in some of your chewing gums. But does this little drug have benefit to be put in those things, or is it something that might not be helpful, and in reality, harmful to us?
What is wrong with fluoride? We put it in our water supply, it is used by dentists all over the world to help with ‘tooth decay’. So why would people think that it is bad? Is there really any merit to their claims? Let’s take a look at some of the pro’s and con’s of Fluoride.
The Controversy Of Fluoride
It does need to be said here that there is a lot of controversy around fluoride. Making a judgment on whether it is good or bad isn’t an easy thing to do. In this article it is our hope to bring about why some people think putting fluoride into our drinking water is bad.
You, the reader, need to come to your own conclusions and judgments on your own. Just because we say it may be true (or false) doesn’t necessarily mean it is that way. Much of what is said here can probably be answered in some way by those who take a pro-fluoride stance.
On the other hand, arguments for the pro-fluoride stance can be answered by those who believe fluoride is unhealthy. And the cycle would go round and round, each side claiming they have all the answers and arguments.
In this article it is our attempt to allow readers to see some of the reasons why people think fluoride in the water supply is bad for you. Many know the reasons for Fluoride, but few know why it may be harmful. It is our hope that by the end of this article, you will have a more full understanding of the pro’s and con’s of fluoride and the health benefits/consequences of it.
What Is Fluoride?
Fluoride is a white, or sometimes colorless, inorganic anion. It’s salts have a pretty bitter taste to it, and comes with an odorless smell. The fluoride that is put in most people’s water typically comes from a by-product of the phosphate fertilizer industry.
These by-products are known as Silicofluorides, such as hydrofluorosilicic acid and sodium fluorosilicate. Being a by-product, most often they aren’t pharmaceutical-grade products, and thus could contain a trace amounts of arsenic in them.
Because of these non-food-grade ingredients being put into water systems, the anti-fluoride stance often bring this up as a reason for trying to stop having fluoride being put into the water supplies.
Is Fluoride in our water naturally?
Proponents for fluoride often cite that fluoride is naturally in our water, and that is true. In most springs, groundwater, and deep wells, you can find fluoride in the water. But, anti-fluoride proponents also have a come back for this argument.
Fluoridation programs, ones that help put fluoride into water supplies put in about 0.7-0.12 ppm (parts per millimeter). This is about 10 times as much as you find in natural springs and other naturally occurring water collections, which has amounts of fluoride typically less than 0.1 ppm.
Because of this, those who hold to a non-fluoride stance will often argue that these fluoridation programs put too much fluoride into the water treatment systems, and thus should be stopped.
Adding Fluoride To Our Water
Some may ask the question of what is the purpose in adding fluoride to water? Why is there such a high dosage of it added to our drinking water?
The most common answer is that it is added as a preventive measure against tooth decay. There have been some studies that have seemed to show that fluoride helps against certain teeth problems.
What do the anti-fluoride proponents have to say to this?
Other studies
There are other studies that have seemed to show that fluoride doesn’t help with keeping tooth decay at bay. Also, fluoride helps with tooth decay if the fluoride is against the tooth, not if it is ingested (like it is when someone drinks it).
Additionally, some studies have come out saying that ingesting fluoride isn’t as good as people initially thought. That is partly why there are ‘harmful if swallowed’ labels on toothpaste that contain fluoride.
More studies have been conducted that seem to show that there is a lower IQ in those who have been drinking water with fluoride added to it. The studies range all the way back to the late 1900s all the way through the 2010s, being conducted in several large cities and countries.
Fluoride as a medication?
Fluoride is added into the water supply as a drug to help mitigate or prevent disease. This is the only drug that the FDA has approved to be added to put into people’s water supply.
Now, the anti-Fluoride stance argues that they should have the right to say yay, or nay, as to whether they want to use a certain drug.
For example, would it be right for someone to make a neighbor use a certain medication, or use a certain product, even if that same neighbor didn’t thing that medication/product was good for them?
Controlled amounts and health/safety
As the fluoridation programs put fluoride into the water supplies, there is no control over how much you get when you take a drink. You may receive more, or less, than what the ‘average’ amount of fluoride that is in your water.
On top of that, this fluoridated water is given to everyone, both young and old, regardless of their health. There have been diseases/illnesses that can come around because of too much fluoride, and it can be especially toxic to young children.
Does An Anti-Fluoride Stance Have Any Merit?
The above has given a few reasons as to why there are some people who choose products that don’t have fluoride in them. Most have come to their conclusions by reading certain articles, or taking the advice of those they think are wise.
While the owners of this site would lean towards an anti-fluoride stance, that doesn’t mean that they hold to it completely. There is still many things to be looked into, and topics to be discussed.
For those who would like to take a deeper look into why fluoride would be beneficial, and something that may just be good for you, then look no further than this article. It does a good job in showing all the pro’s of fluoride.
You tired of all the pro’s, and want to look at the cons? Then take a look at this website, where their whole agenda is to help influence the world to see the negative effects of fluoride.
What are you thoughts on fluoride? Would you choose to use fluoride, or be opposed to it? Let us know what your thoughts are on the subject at hand in the comments section below!