Hi everyone! Sorry for the holiday delay, but I figured most wouldn't check this during Thanksgiving anyway.
Since today is our last post (eek!), I'm just going to recap what we've basically covered over the past four weeks. Thanks for sticking by this silly little blog!
I guess my overall point is that fluoride should not be pumped into public water systems because of the nature of its toxicology. The physical health detriments, mental health detriments, and the potential to create cancer all outweigh the sometimes disproven benefit of stronger teeth. Everyone is exposed to fluoride through water, food, work, inhalation, medicines, and dentistry, and the comprehensive magnitude of exposure will never be fully discovered. Your mouth is damaged by fluoride's dangerous results of mottling and fluorosis. Your bones accumulate most of the fluoride intake and become brittle. Your mind is heavily impacted by fluoride, manifesting itself in cognitive disabilities and thyroid problems. Lastly, your ENTIRE BODY becomes influenced by the presence of this neurotoxic chemical from the lungs, to the gastrointestinal tract, to the reproductive system, to the renal system, all the way down to a cellular level; cancer is strongly tied to the presence of fluoride as well.
So if you ask me, I'm not a big fluoride fan. But it's really up to you how you feel, I'm just presenting the info.
Thanks for tuning for my senior project :)
ride against the fluo,
natalie
Friday, November 27, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
Day 10: Cancer
So we've reached the culmination of all of fluoride's health effects- CANCER. Nowadays hardly anyone has not been impacted by cancer's far-reaching infestation into all of our lives - through personal experiences or watching a loved one or friend endure it. It's the scariest of all of fluoride's effects, not to mention the most dangerous and prevalent. As we dive into this, keep in mind all of the fluoride we are ingesting without even realizing it and how it could be manifesting itself in your body right now.
Since there is such a strong link between fluoride and cancer, there has been much research conducted. First off, fluoride has been classified as a mutagen which means it has the ability to cause mutations in genetic material. However, in order to be considered a cancerous problem, there must be a very high concentration of the substance (namely, fluoride) - much higher than that of human blood. Many would think fluoride would seem like a substance incapable of causing cancer from this statement. On the contrary, there are areas called “microenvironments” in the body (such as the ends of bones) where levels of fluoride and mutagens accumulate enough to cause genotoxic effects.
In June of 2005, the Environmental Work Group documented fluoride's ability to mutate DNA and its known deposition on the end of growing bones, the sites of osteosarcomas. An osteosarcoma is a rare, often fatal type of bone cancer that has its risk increased sevenfold by exposure to fluoride, especially in males.
A Harvard University study similarly stated that when boys are exposed to fluoridated water between age 6-8, their risk for osteosarcoma increases 5-fold, and the most recent statistic states that there are about .95 cases per year per 100,000 men under 20 in a fluoridated area. In addition to this there are many reports of suspicion of hidden reports containing evidence of cancer linkage that have not been divulged to the general public because of bribery and corruption in the corporations.
Hellooo frightening concept! If fluoride is causing this much mutagenic and cancerous damage, we at least have the right to know about it! It's terrifying how little is revealed to us as civilians, but awareness is only half the battle. Tune in Wednesday for our last recap on how fluoride has attacked our ENTIRE body!!!
Since there is such a strong link between fluoride and cancer, there has been much research conducted. First off, fluoride has been classified as a mutagen which means it has the ability to cause mutations in genetic material. However, in order to be considered a cancerous problem, there must be a very high concentration of the substance (namely, fluoride) - much higher than that of human blood. Many would think fluoride would seem like a substance incapable of causing cancer from this statement. On the contrary, there are areas called “microenvironments” in the body (such as the ends of bones) where levels of fluoride and mutagens accumulate enough to cause genotoxic effects.
In June of 2005, the Environmental Work Group documented fluoride's ability to mutate DNA and its known deposition on the end of growing bones, the sites of osteosarcomas. An osteosarcoma is a rare, often fatal type of bone cancer that has its risk increased sevenfold by exposure to fluoride, especially in males.
A Harvard University study similarly stated that when boys are exposed to fluoridated water between age 6-8, their risk for osteosarcoma increases 5-fold, and the most recent statistic states that there are about .95 cases per year per 100,000 men under 20 in a fluoridated area. In addition to this there are many reports of suspicion of hidden reports containing evidence of cancer linkage that have not been divulged to the general public because of bribery and corruption in the corporations.
Hellooo frightening concept! If fluoride is causing this much mutagenic and cancerous damage, we at least have the right to know about it! It's terrifying how little is revealed to us as civilians, but awareness is only half the battle. Tune in Wednesday for our last recap on how fluoride has attacked our ENTIRE body!!!
Friday, November 20, 2009
Day 9: Kidneys
Day 9 here we are! After today, we’ve only got one more week of this fluoridation sensation blog. Thanks for hanging in here. Wednesday we learned about fluoride’s disastrous health detriments to the reproductive system…not something that needs to be messed with. Transporting a little ways away to the kidneys, we’re finding out how our renal system can be tampered with by fluoride!
Kidneys and the renal system are targets for receiving most of the fluoride that enters the body because it’s the duty of kidneys to remove toxins (namely, fluoride) from the blood. This duty enhances the kidneys’ potential for toxic effects because the kidneys are so selective in their absorption; they can quickly absorb a toxic amount of fluoride.
Perfectly healthy kidneys are often able to excrete almost 50% of ingested fluoride, which is a large amount-but also leaves a large amount still in the body. Furthermore, most people (adults and elderly especially) do not have perfectly healthy kidneys. Adults with kidney disease may only excrete as little as 10-20% of an ingested dose, therefore increasing the body’s concentration of fluoride and risk of fluoride-related health issues (like renal osteodystrophy). Another interesting facet of the renal-fluoride connection is that people with severe kidney disease often exhibit similar symptoms as patients with skeletal fluorosis, raising the possibility of some kidney-diseased patients suffering from undiagnosed skeletal fluorosis. Eek.
A vicious cycle is known to occur as well with fluoride and the kidneys, because as fluoride damages the kidneys’ function, the kidneys’ ability to remove fluoride in the first place degrades. Good luck to all in getting out of that one.
In human and animal studies, renal dysfunction has been reported after exposure to fluoride in water in as low a magnitude as merely 1 part per million! It’s scary how easily fluoride can infect one’s body and impact the core of how we function. Fluoride also puts males specifically at a very high risk for renal cancer…but next week we’ll start the convo on fluoride’s cancerous effects. A hot topic for all.
Kidneys and the renal system are targets for receiving most of the fluoride that enters the body because it’s the duty of kidneys to remove toxins (namely, fluoride) from the blood. This duty enhances the kidneys’ potential for toxic effects because the kidneys are so selective in their absorption; they can quickly absorb a toxic amount of fluoride.
Perfectly healthy kidneys are often able to excrete almost 50% of ingested fluoride, which is a large amount-but also leaves a large amount still in the body. Furthermore, most people (adults and elderly especially) do not have perfectly healthy kidneys. Adults with kidney disease may only excrete as little as 10-20% of an ingested dose, therefore increasing the body’s concentration of fluoride and risk of fluoride-related health issues (like renal osteodystrophy). Another interesting facet of the renal-fluoride connection is that people with severe kidney disease often exhibit similar symptoms as patients with skeletal fluorosis, raising the possibility of some kidney-diseased patients suffering from undiagnosed skeletal fluorosis. Eek.
A vicious cycle is known to occur as well with fluoride and the kidneys, because as fluoride damages the kidneys’ function, the kidneys’ ability to remove fluoride in the first place degrades. Good luck to all in getting out of that one.
In human and animal studies, renal dysfunction has been reported after exposure to fluoride in water in as low a magnitude as merely 1 part per million! It’s scary how easily fluoride can infect one’s body and impact the core of how we function. Fluoride also puts males specifically at a very high risk for renal cancer…but next week we’ll start the convo on fluoride’s cancerous effects. A hot topic for all.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Blog Day 8: Reproductive System
Hello! Natalie here, with day 8 of our blogging session. I’m hoping some semblance of information about fluoride and its health effects has stuck with you, as it seems to be taking over MY mind these past few weeks…maybe that’s since I’ve dedicated every day to preparing or writing these posts. Eek!
Okay, so today our journey moves on towards the future: more specifically, the reproductive system. This is such a perilous way for fluoride to cause detriments because not only does it affect US, but it affects our future children!! (Or lack thereof…) Fluoride impacts the reproductive systems of both women and men. The most blatant way to show the magnitude of its effect is by case studies. Recently, a study was performed in Wisconsin that had a conclusion of this: women who live in cities with highly fluoridated water systems have a significantly increased risk of premature stillbirths. This is something no woman (or respective man) should have to endure…so if it’s being caused in some way by fluoride, how are we letting this madness continue?
There are many chromosomal mishaps induced by fluoride that are simply incompatible with fetal life, leading to the birth of premature babies and miscarriages. Similarly, women who work in fabrication rooms in factories and are exposed to fluoride on a daily basis are 1.45 times more likely to have a spontaneous abortion (aka a miscarriage). Scary stuff.
If ingested in small amounts while pregnant, fluoride is able to cross the placenta border and become incorporated into the tissues of the fetus. The placenta only acts as a LIMITED barrier for fluoride transmission from mother to child; for this reason there is a lower (but not inexistent) fluoride concentration in the baby’s body.
Menstrual irregularities and genital irritations are also symptoms of fluoride exposure. For men though, they are obviously impacted differently by fluoride and/or fluorosis and most commonly show a decrease in circulating testosterone.
Overall, fluoride has no problem moving in on the next generation…which is a problem I believe should be dealt with in a timely and urgent manner. It’s too dangerous to affect us AND our children, too.
Okay, so today our journey moves on towards the future: more specifically, the reproductive system. This is such a perilous way for fluoride to cause detriments because not only does it affect US, but it affects our future children!! (Or lack thereof…) Fluoride impacts the reproductive systems of both women and men. The most blatant way to show the magnitude of its effect is by case studies. Recently, a study was performed in Wisconsin that had a conclusion of this: women who live in cities with highly fluoridated water systems have a significantly increased risk of premature stillbirths. This is something no woman (or respective man) should have to endure…so if it’s being caused in some way by fluoride, how are we letting this madness continue?
There are many chromosomal mishaps induced by fluoride that are simply incompatible with fetal life, leading to the birth of premature babies and miscarriages. Similarly, women who work in fabrication rooms in factories and are exposed to fluoride on a daily basis are 1.45 times more likely to have a spontaneous abortion (aka a miscarriage). Scary stuff.
If ingested in small amounts while pregnant, fluoride is able to cross the placenta border and become incorporated into the tissues of the fetus. The placenta only acts as a LIMITED barrier for fluoride transmission from mother to child; for this reason there is a lower (but not inexistent) fluoride concentration in the baby’s body.
Menstrual irregularities and genital irritations are also symptoms of fluoride exposure. For men though, they are obviously impacted differently by fluoride and/or fluorosis and most commonly show a decrease in circulating testosterone.
Overall, fluoride has no problem moving in on the next generation…which is a problem I believe should be dealt with in a timely and urgent manner. It’s too dangerous to affect us AND our children, too.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Lungs & Tummy
Week 3! We've passed the halfway point, and if you're reading this, thank for keeping up with it thus far. I'm stunned by how many profile views I've gotten, so thanks :)
So far, we've covered fluoride's destructive effects in the mouth, bones, and mind. However, fluoride travels through the entire body on its rampage, affecting almost every system of the human anatomy.
Topically applied, fluoride can cause headaches, muscle weakness, and stomach upsets. If inhaled, asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema can be acquired after long-term (often unbeknownst) exposure, such as in a work environment or neighborhood. Tests show that the prevalence of chronic bronchitis linearly increases with a steady level of fluoride exposure. Inhaling fluoride can, on the spot, also induce a bronchospasm, laryngospasm, or pulmonary edema (all fancy talk for lung issues). A concentrated inhalation can impact the central nervous system too, like creating twitching, convulsions, and even comas.
In general: When fluoride is ingested, most commonly through drinking water, it is absorbed into the body through the gastrointestinal tract by passive diffusion. This just means fluoride slowly but steadily leaks from your stomach area into all other areas of the body. Most fluoride-releasing compounds form hydrogen fluoride when mixed with the hydrochloric acid naturally located in the stomach. This newly formulated hydrogen fluoride irritates the stomach mucosa, causing serious structural and functional effects- like chronic gastritis, duodenal ulcers, and the erosion of the gastric mucosa. Again, this is just jargon that codes for stomach and digestive problems that you do NOT want to deal with.
Fluoride has made its mark, I can promise you that. When consumed, it attacks your body just like a poison would, as you can see in the numerous ways we've pointed out its effects. Wednesday we'll start to talk a little about the genetic effects fluoride can have on you AND your (future?) children.
Citations:
The Hundred Year Lie - Randall Fitzgerald
"Fluoride and the Pineal Gland" - Fluoride Action Network
Handbook of Toxic and Hazardous Chemicals - Marshall Sittig
"Review of Fluoride Benefits and Risks" US Dept. of Health and Health Services Report
Health Effects of Ingested Fluoride - Bernard Wagner
So far, we've covered fluoride's destructive effects in the mouth, bones, and mind. However, fluoride travels through the entire body on its rampage, affecting almost every system of the human anatomy.
Topically applied, fluoride can cause headaches, muscle weakness, and stomach upsets. If inhaled, asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema can be acquired after long-term (often unbeknownst) exposure, such as in a work environment or neighborhood. Tests show that the prevalence of chronic bronchitis linearly increases with a steady level of fluoride exposure. Inhaling fluoride can, on the spot, also induce a bronchospasm, laryngospasm, or pulmonary edema (all fancy talk for lung issues). A concentrated inhalation can impact the central nervous system too, like creating twitching, convulsions, and even comas.
In general: When fluoride is ingested, most commonly through drinking water, it is absorbed into the body through the gastrointestinal tract by passive diffusion. This just means fluoride slowly but steadily leaks from your stomach area into all other areas of the body. Most fluoride-releasing compounds form hydrogen fluoride when mixed with the hydrochloric acid naturally located in the stomach. This newly formulated hydrogen fluoride irritates the stomach mucosa, causing serious structural and functional effects- like chronic gastritis, duodenal ulcers, and the erosion of the gastric mucosa. Again, this is just jargon that codes for stomach and digestive problems that you do NOT want to deal with.
Fluoride has made its mark, I can promise you that. When consumed, it attacks your body just like a poison would, as you can see in the numerous ways we've pointed out its effects. Wednesday we'll start to talk a little about the genetic effects fluoride can have on you AND your (future?) children.
Citations:
The Hundred Year Lie - Randall Fitzgerald
"Fluoride and the Pineal Gland" - Fluoride Action Network
Handbook of Toxic and Hazardous Chemicals - Marshall Sittig
"Review of Fluoride Benefits and Risks" US Dept. of Health and Health Services Report
Health Effects of Ingested Fluoride - Bernard Wagner
Friday, November 13, 2009
Day 6: Mind Games...Part 2
Hello everyone! As a continuation from Wednesday, we’re talking again about the MENTAL effects of fluoride. Catching up, we learned that fluoride exposure alters your perception and ability to make decisions, along with lowering IQ and other various motor functions being impaired.
Furthermore, fluoride goes on to even create a risk of Down’s syndrome. In a study of 687 cases, there was a two-fold increase in the prevalence of mongoloid births (aka babies with Down’s syndrome) located in communities with fluoridated water versus those with a non-fluoridated water system. You may have even noticed this next statistic, that many children with Down’s syndrome have noticeably mottled teeth, a sign of oral unhealthiness and a clear and palpable manifestation of the connection between fluoride, fluorosis, and Down’s syndrome.
Another part of the brain disrupted by the presence and ingestion of fluoride is the pineal gland. This tiny but dangerous (so to speak) gland regulates the production of the hormone Melatonin. Melatonin manages the onset of puberty…a rather important part of the brain, I’d say. You’ve met grown men with high pitched voices? Yep, too much fluoride. :)
Okay maybe not to that extent…that was a bit of an exaggeration. But more fluoride does accumulate here than in any other hard or soft tissue in the entire body. The average concentration in the pineal gland in a person who has taken in too much fluoride is approximately 300 parts per million. Also highly impacted by fluoride are the thyroids. Exposure can result in enzyme inhibition and more detrimentally, hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism leads to many symptoms of fatigue, depression, weight gain, hair loss, muscle pains, a buildup of BAD cholesterol, and heart disease.
In fact, a small dose of fluoride (only 2 mg per day) was once successfully used as a thyroid-suppressing medication for hyperthyroidism (when thyroid activity needs to be stopped).
So there’s how fluoride is disrupting our minds…pretty serious stuff. The thyroid thing is what gets me the most. Moving right along, Monday we’ll be chatting about various bodily effects, like gastrointestinal, inhalation, and its genotoxicity. Oh boy!
Citations:
Fluoridation: The Great Dilemma - George Waldbott
"Fluoride and the Pineal Gland" - Fluoride Action Network
"Fluoride and the Thyroid" - Fluoride Action Network
The Hundred-Year Lie - Randall Fitzgerald
Review of Fluoride Benefits and Risks - US Dept. of Health and Health Services Report
Furthermore, fluoride goes on to even create a risk of Down’s syndrome. In a study of 687 cases, there was a two-fold increase in the prevalence of mongoloid births (aka babies with Down’s syndrome) located in communities with fluoridated water versus those with a non-fluoridated water system. You may have even noticed this next statistic, that many children with Down’s syndrome have noticeably mottled teeth, a sign of oral unhealthiness and a clear and palpable manifestation of the connection between fluoride, fluorosis, and Down’s syndrome.
Another part of the brain disrupted by the presence and ingestion of fluoride is the pineal gland. This tiny but dangerous (so to speak) gland regulates the production of the hormone Melatonin. Melatonin manages the onset of puberty…a rather important part of the brain, I’d say. You’ve met grown men with high pitched voices? Yep, too much fluoride. :)
Okay maybe not to that extent…that was a bit of an exaggeration. But more fluoride does accumulate here than in any other hard or soft tissue in the entire body. The average concentration in the pineal gland in a person who has taken in too much fluoride is approximately 300 parts per million. Also highly impacted by fluoride are the thyroids. Exposure can result in enzyme inhibition and more detrimentally, hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism leads to many symptoms of fatigue, depression, weight gain, hair loss, muscle pains, a buildup of BAD cholesterol, and heart disease.
In fact, a small dose of fluoride (only 2 mg per day) was once successfully used as a thyroid-suppressing medication for hyperthyroidism (when thyroid activity needs to be stopped).
So there’s how fluoride is disrupting our minds…pretty serious stuff. The thyroid thing is what gets me the most. Moving right along, Monday we’ll be chatting about various bodily effects, like gastrointestinal, inhalation, and its genotoxicity. Oh boy!
Citations:
Fluoridation: The Great Dilemma - George Waldbott
"Fluoride and the Pineal Gland" - Fluoride Action Network
"Fluoride and the Thyroid" - Fluoride Action Network
The Hundred-Year Lie - Randall Fitzgerald
Review of Fluoride Benefits and Risks - US Dept. of Health and Health Services Report
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Day 5: Mind Games...Part 1
Sorry for the late postage! Arguably the most essential area of the human body, your mental health is not exempt from the course of fluoride’s disastrous pathway. This is a terrifying concept, considering that your brain literally controls every other part of your body.
General studies have shown that fluoride accumulates in the hippocampus, defined as a “central processor which integrates inputs from the environment, memory, and motivational stimuli to produce behavioral decisions and modify memory.” Dummied down a bit, this means that the hippocampus is the part of the brain with which you make all your decisions (for what, when, and how you do things, and also how you remember them!). Hellooo alterations of these functions=major bad news. This impact upon the hippocampus leads to an inevitable decline in mental acuity, a less reliable memory, an inability to coordinate thoughts, and in some severe cases, a reduced ability to write. Fluoride truly is a force to be reckoned with- I mean these are basic mental activities that we take for granted, and that can be degraded by simply the water we drink.
Rats used in laboratories (aka lab rats) incidentally have strikingly similar mind-body communication to humans. Because of this connection, many studies dealing with fluoride exposure have been completed upon lab rats, and the results were congruent with human mental effects. When given fluoridated water, these lab rats’ offspring were born hyperactive and with retardation (later in the series we will get to reproductive and genetic effects of fluoride..there’s a little preview). These rats also displayed Alzheimer-like symptoms as traces of aluminum were being carried to their brains.
Extensive tests have been executed regarding the effect of fluoride on children’s IQ levels. Most recently, studies show that fluoride noticeably and significantly lowers intelligence measure by IQ (and believe me, I am fully aware that IQ is not the only measure of aptitude). Here’s the results of one specific study, done by the Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine: 160 randomly selected children, whose mothers had lived in areas of .91 ppm and 4.12 ppm fluoride water concentration, took standardized IQ tests. Respectively, their average scores were 105.2 and 97.7 – an almost 8 point decrease because of the fluoridated water! Not to be neglected, 86% of the children living off the 4.12 ppm fluoridated water manifested signs of dental or skeletal fluorosis. Sure, there must have been other variables, but an 8 point difference is hard to overlook. Friday we’ll be investigating other mental effects of fluoride (like Down’s Syndrome and hormones), as if the previous wasn’t enough.
General studies have shown that fluoride accumulates in the hippocampus, defined as a “central processor which integrates inputs from the environment, memory, and motivational stimuli to produce behavioral decisions and modify memory.” Dummied down a bit, this means that the hippocampus is the part of the brain with which you make all your decisions (for what, when, and how you do things, and also how you remember them!). Hellooo alterations of these functions=major bad news. This impact upon the hippocampus leads to an inevitable decline in mental acuity, a less reliable memory, an inability to coordinate thoughts, and in some severe cases, a reduced ability to write. Fluoride truly is a force to be reckoned with- I mean these are basic mental activities that we take for granted, and that can be degraded by simply the water we drink.
Rats used in laboratories (aka lab rats) incidentally have strikingly similar mind-body communication to humans. Because of this connection, many studies dealing with fluoride exposure have been completed upon lab rats, and the results were congruent with human mental effects. When given fluoridated water, these lab rats’ offspring were born hyperactive and with retardation (later in the series we will get to reproductive and genetic effects of fluoride..there’s a little preview). These rats also displayed Alzheimer-like symptoms as traces of aluminum were being carried to their brains.
Extensive tests have been executed regarding the effect of fluoride on children’s IQ levels. Most recently, studies show that fluoride noticeably and significantly lowers intelligence measure by IQ (and believe me, I am fully aware that IQ is not the only measure of aptitude). Here’s the results of one specific study, done by the Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine: 160 randomly selected children, whose mothers had lived in areas of .91 ppm and 4.12 ppm fluoride water concentration, took standardized IQ tests. Respectively, their average scores were 105.2 and 97.7 – an almost 8 point decrease because of the fluoridated water! Not to be neglected, 86% of the children living off the 4.12 ppm fluoridated water manifested signs of dental or skeletal fluorosis. Sure, there must have been other variables, but an 8 point difference is hard to overlook. Friday we’ll be investigating other mental effects of fluoride (like Down’s Syndrome and hormones), as if the previous wasn’t enough.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Day 4: Bones
Hi again :) so we’ve made it to Day 4! After a post last week about dental fluorosis, some questions were raised and controversies were uncovered. Moving on from that, we're talking about the skeletal system!
Since teeth and bones are similarly constructed (mostly of calcium), it's only natural that if fluoride infects the mouth and teeth, the skeleton is congruently impacted.
Upon ingestion, fluoride is stored in the body by the bones and teeth, as opposed to residing in fat cells like most toxins. The chemical accumulates slowly and does not disintegrate over time...meaning, once it's in your system, it's there for good. No take-backs! As the chemical accumulates, it can lead to joint pain, greater risk of fractures, and even bone deformation. With an increased dosage, fluoride causes the ligaments of the body to calcify—which translates to highly restricted movement. Also from fluoride exposure, bony spurs can appear on the limbs along with forcing the vertebrae to fuse together. Essentially, you could tie the intake of fluoride to the exponentially rising number of elderly people being sent to nursing homes. Fluoride drastically weakens the skeletal system, which leads to brittle, easily broken bones (especially hip fractures); and broken bones are currently the number-one cause for nursing home admission in the United States. To clear up a point made by myth buster on Friday: sure, dental fluorosis can only be acquired before the enamel is fully formed on teeth (children), but the physical effects can be delayed in their appearance and are also visibly prevalent for the rest of your life. Similar to this is skeletal fluorosis. This would be, as you could probably guess, the calcification of all bones instead of just teeth. Skeletal fluorosis makes your bones weaker, brittler, and mottled just as your teeth would be. However, there is clearly not as much emphasis on the cosmetic effect of skeletal fluorosis since your bones are neatly tucked away. Instead, the impact is even more dangerous, in my opinion. Often, skeletal fluorosis is indistinguishable from arthritis since many of the symptoms are analogous. Because of this, skeletal fluorosis goes disregarded, untreated or improperly treated, leading to little or no progression of healing in patients.
Arguably the most perilous health hazard that fluoride poses to the skeletal system is the greatly increased risk of cancer. Osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer, will be addressed later in November along with other cancerous effects. As you can see, fluoride does not stop at the oral cavity as it terrorizes the body. Wednesday we'll learn about its dangers in to the mind.
Since teeth and bones are similarly constructed (mostly of calcium), it's only natural that if fluoride infects the mouth and teeth, the skeleton is congruently impacted.
Upon ingestion, fluoride is stored in the body by the bones and teeth, as opposed to residing in fat cells like most toxins. The chemical accumulates slowly and does not disintegrate over time...meaning, once it's in your system, it's there for good. No take-backs! As the chemical accumulates, it can lead to joint pain, greater risk of fractures, and even bone deformation. With an increased dosage, fluoride causes the ligaments of the body to calcify—which translates to highly restricted movement. Also from fluoride exposure, bony spurs can appear on the limbs along with forcing the vertebrae to fuse together. Essentially, you could tie the intake of fluoride to the exponentially rising number of elderly people being sent to nursing homes. Fluoride drastically weakens the skeletal system, which leads to brittle, easily broken bones (especially hip fractures); and broken bones are currently the number-one cause for nursing home admission in the United States. To clear up a point made by myth buster on Friday: sure, dental fluorosis can only be acquired before the enamel is fully formed on teeth (children), but the physical effects can be delayed in their appearance and are also visibly prevalent for the rest of your life. Similar to this is skeletal fluorosis. This would be, as you could probably guess, the calcification of all bones instead of just teeth. Skeletal fluorosis makes your bones weaker, brittler, and mottled just as your teeth would be. However, there is clearly not as much emphasis on the cosmetic effect of skeletal fluorosis since your bones are neatly tucked away. Instead, the impact is even more dangerous, in my opinion. Often, skeletal fluorosis is indistinguishable from arthritis since many of the symptoms are analogous. Because of this, skeletal fluorosis goes disregarded, untreated or improperly treated, leading to little or no progression of healing in patients.
Arguably the most perilous health hazard that fluoride poses to the skeletal system is the greatly increased risk of cancer. Osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer, will be addressed later in November along with other cancerous effects. As you can see, fluoride does not stop at the oral cavity as it terrorizes the body. Wednesday we'll learn about its dangers in to the mind.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Day 3: Dental Fluorosis
So here we go, diving off the deep end into this fluoridated debate. Typically, when one thinks of the health dangers of fluoride, Dental Fluorosis comes to mind. It’s the quintessential sign of what fluoride can do, and is the most prevalent visible damage done to the oral cavity. Let’s see what it’s really about.
After fluoride exposure, dental mottling is the first orally discernible sign of unwholesome effects. Mottling is when colored specks, ranging from brown to yellow to white, appear on the outer surface of teeth. This is most often caused by fluoride in the water system, more so than dentistry practices (though they are not exempt from responsibility). Contrary to fluoride’s function, this toxin can also disturb the amelogenesis (aka enamel-forming process during tooth development) of exposed teeth, which is a scary fact since that’s what fluoride is supposed to catalyze!
Now, moving right along to fluorosis. A condition of dental hard tissues, it is defined as a hypomineralization of enamel, a fancy way of saying it possesses greater surface area and greater porosity than normal enamel does. In advanced stages, dental fluorosis can lead to teeth being more susceptible to cavities, stemming from a loss of outer enamel. It's characterized by just white spots at first, as many peers and friends of mine exhibit from an overdose of fluoride as children. Unsightly white spots are truly just the tip of the iceberg though. Soon occur the progressively brown, mottled teeth that are irreparably damaged (see the lucid graphic).
That's the bonus, too: dental fluorosis is permanent. There is no way to reverse its effects since its damage permeates to the tooth's internal matrix. The harm can be hidden by abbrasion (the sanding of the tooth's top layer), but this can expose highly porous enamel and make teeth vulnerable to even further damage.
So how common is this dental disease? A recent CDC estimate claims that 32% of American children currently exhibit some form of dental fluorosis. A separate 5-year physiologically comprehensive study concluded that 41% of adolescents aged 12-15 and 36% of those aged 16-19 all have developed fluorosis as well. My opinion? These numbers are way too dangerous for for the city to continue fluoridating the water system.
If fluoride is impacting simply our teeth this much, there's no telling what kind of other perils from this toxic chemical lurk under the surface of our complex bodies. (Actually, there is, and we'll uncover more on Monday). Starting with the SKELETAL IMPACT.
After fluoride exposure, dental mottling is the first orally discernible sign of unwholesome effects. Mottling is when colored specks, ranging from brown to yellow to white, appear on the outer surface of teeth. This is most often caused by fluoride in the water system, more so than dentistry practices (though they are not exempt from responsibility). Contrary to fluoride’s function, this toxin can also disturb the amelogenesis (aka enamel-forming process during tooth development) of exposed teeth, which is a scary fact since that’s what fluoride is supposed to catalyze!
Now, moving right along to fluorosis. A condition of dental hard tissues, it is defined as a hypomineralization of enamel, a fancy way of saying it possesses greater surface area and greater porosity than normal enamel does. In advanced stages, dental fluorosis can lead to teeth being more susceptible to cavities, stemming from a loss of outer enamel. It's characterized by just white spots at first, as many peers and friends of mine exhibit from an overdose of fluoride as children. Unsightly white spots are truly just the tip of the iceberg though. Soon occur the progressively brown, mottled teeth that are irreparably damaged (see the lucid graphic).
That's the bonus, too: dental fluorosis is permanent. There is no way to reverse its effects since its damage permeates to the tooth's internal matrix. The harm can be hidden by abbrasion (the sanding of the tooth's top layer), but this can expose highly porous enamel and make teeth vulnerable to even further damage.So how common is this dental disease? A recent CDC estimate claims that 32% of American children currently exhibit some form of dental fluorosis. A separate 5-year physiologically comprehensive study concluded that 41% of adolescents aged 12-15 and 36% of those aged 16-19 all have developed fluorosis as well. My opinion? These numbers are way too dangerous for for the city to continue fluoridating the water system.
If fluoride is impacting simply our teeth this much, there's no telling what kind of other perils from this toxic chemical lurk under the surface of our complex bodies. (Actually, there is, and we'll uncover more on Monday). Starting with the SKELETAL IMPACT.
Citations:
Healthy Living in a Toxic World- Cynthia Fincher
Health Effects of Ingested Fluoride- Bernard Wagner
"Fluorosis on the Rise According to New US Study"- Michael Connett
"Not in My Water Supply"- Margot Roosevelt, Time Magazine
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Day 2: Deception
So we’ve established that everyone is exposed to a generous amount of fluoride, from numerous and various factors. But if fluoride is as toxic as I’m claiming, there has to be a plausible reason for why it is so widely utilized in dentistry practices and is still being pumped into our water systems. Let’s back up a bit, to the 1930’s. Then, fluoride was simply the waste of aluminum companies…and there was no shortage. A dentist noticed that in areas of the country where the water supply was slightly fluoridated as an accident, there were fewer occurrences of dental problems. Immediately, the aluminum factories began to use fluoride's excuse as a dental aid to combat any and all lawsuits regarding injuries caused by fluoride waste, and soon thereafter the Aluminum Company of America made a public proposal (accepted) to add fluoride to all municipal water systems. Conveniently, their toxic waste of silico-fluoride no longer had to be disposed of at a costly $8,000 per truckload and thus, public water became a vehicle for delivering a toxic drug. Then and there, fluoride emerged as the cheapest public health measure ever created, at a mere 50 cents per person per year. It's easy to see how the governments ate this up- they were protecting the economy by catalyzing the aluminum companies' success, and appeasing the public by “safeguarding” their health.
So, back to the present. I am willing to concede that there are some potential benefits of fluoride. I mean, something must be going right since it's still widely used in dentistry today. The intended purpose of fluoride is to remineralize tooth enamel while helping teeth develop shallower grooves; but this occurs only when it's applied topically, as in dentistry, and only upon children's teeth. Ironically, there are substantial oral health hazards of fluoride, the most prevalent being Dental Fluorosis (which will be the focus of Friday's post). In many studies, the prevalence of cavities has remained static with or without the use of fluoride, and in some cases has actually increased with fluoride use. One 2001 CDC study showed that children in communities with fluoridated water averaged only 1.4 fewer cavities than children in unfluoridated areas. The noticeable improvement in dental health spanning over the past 75 years is now seeming to originate from changing diets and improved dental cleaning habits, not necessarily the addition of fluoride to city water. In Western Europe, 17 out of the 21 countries refuse fluoridated water and have experienced just as sharp of a drop in cavities as the American countries who mandate it.
Maybe fluoride isn't the miracle drug we believed it to be in 1930? Friday we'll dive into what it really does to the mouth, before attacking the rest of the body.
Citations
Healthy Living in a Toxic World- Cynthia Fincher
The Hundred-Year Lie- Randall Fitzgerald
The Whole Tooth- Schissel and Dodes
"Not in My Water Supply"- Margot Roosevelt, Time Magazine.
Health Effects of Ingested Fluoride- Bernard Wagner
Review of Fluoride Benefits and Risks- US Department of Health and Health Services Report
So, back to the present. I am willing to concede that there are some potential benefits of fluoride. I mean, something must be going right since it's still widely used in dentistry today. The intended purpose of fluoride is to remineralize tooth enamel while helping teeth develop shallower grooves; but this occurs only when it's applied topically, as in dentistry, and only upon children's teeth. Ironically, there are substantial oral health hazards of fluoride, the most prevalent being Dental Fluorosis (which will be the focus of Friday's post). In many studies, the prevalence of cavities has remained static with or without the use of fluoride, and in some cases has actually increased with fluoride use. One 2001 CDC study showed that children in communities with fluoridated water averaged only 1.4 fewer cavities than children in unfluoridated areas. The noticeable improvement in dental health spanning over the past 75 years is now seeming to originate from changing diets and improved dental cleaning habits, not necessarily the addition of fluoride to city water. In Western Europe, 17 out of the 21 countries refuse fluoridated water and have experienced just as sharp of a drop in cavities as the American countries who mandate it.
Maybe fluoride isn't the miracle drug we believed it to be in 1930? Friday we'll dive into what it really does to the mouth, before attacking the rest of the body.
Citations
Healthy Living in a Toxic World- Cynthia Fincher
The Hundred-Year Lie- Randall Fitzgerald
The Whole Tooth- Schissel and Dodes
"Not in My Water Supply"- Margot Roosevelt, Time Magazine.
Health Effects of Ingested Fluoride- Bernard Wagner
Review of Fluoride Benefits and Risks- US Department of Health and Health Services Report
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