Plans are underway to add unnecessary fluoride chemicals into Corning NY's Water Supply, not to purify the water, but to treat water drinkers' teeth. Modern science shows that fluoridation is ineffective at reducing tooth decay, harmful to health and a waste of tax dollars. Here's why:
New York State Department of Health statistics (2) illustrate fluoridation’s inability to equalize cavity rates between low and high socio-economic-status (SES) groups, and show that fluoridation and tooth decay rates are not inversely related (3)
For example, non-fluoridated Nassau, Suffolk and Rockland Counties’ third-graders decay rates: 50, 54 and 46, percent respectively. In slightly fluoridated Albany County 38% have cavities.
Highly fluoridated NYS Counties include Monroe, Erie, Chemung, Broome, Wayne and Jefferson. Third-graders decay rates: 56, 59, 55, 63,66 and 66, percent respectively.
There is no evidence that any Corning resident is fluoride deficient. However, 40% of Steuben County low-income third graders have unfilled cavities (3a) mirroring a national trend of dentists unwilling or unable to treat the population with the most need. Fluoridation is an illusory remedy.
Despite fluoridated water reaching about ¾ of New Yorkers, 54% of third-graders have cavities and more untreated decay than third-graders nationally (33% vs 26%). Only one-fourth of NYS dentists submitted Medicaid claims (4).However, NYS dentists income was $1.8 billion in 2005 - up from $1.7 billion in 2004. (4a)
Third-graders in 100% fluoridated New York City had more untreated cavities (38%) than their state and national counterparts (4).
Before organized dentistry became fluoride fixated, a 1950 Connecticut study, before fluoridation, clearly linked more fruit, vegetable and milk consumption to less cavities (5) Dentist Weston Price reported a similar correlation world-wide in his 1938 book, “Nutrition and Physical Degeneration.”
Today Connecticut mandates fluoridation. Yet 48% of 4-year-olds suffer untreated cavities (6) partially because 85% of dentists won’t or can’t treat patients with low-paying government-sponsored insurance (7).
A very recent Illinois study (7a) shows that, despite a state-wide fluoridation mandate, 70% of Spanish-speaking-only third-graders have cavities compared to 50% of English-speaking-only third-graders. Clearly water fluoridation had no effect in reducing minority oral health disparities in Illinois just as it hasn't in New York State, Connecticut and elsewhere.
After 60 years of water fluoridation reaching 2/3 of Americans via public water supplies, virtually 100% via the food supply and fluoridated dental products a multi-billion dollar international business, up to ½ of U.S. schoolchildren sport fluoride overdose symptoms as dental fluorosis – white spotted, yellow or brown, sometimes pitted teeth (8) But tooth decay is still a national epidemic, especially among low-income Americans who can't find dentists willing or able to fix their rotting teeth.
Regardless of fluoride intake, modern science continues to show that young children with fewer cavities eat more produce (9). Only 12% of US kids eat enough fruits and vegetables.(10) And, the poor are priced out of healthful eating. (10a)
Children need dental care not more fluoride. In fluoridated Arlington, Texas, 61 percent of children examined had active decay After dentists donated their services, tooth decay was cut to less than half of what it was when the program started.(13)
Nationally, up to 48% of poor children, 8-year–olds and under, have unfilled cavities, whether their water is fluoridated or not. (13a).
Unfortunately, fluoride jeopardizes health - even at low levels deliberately added to public water supplies, according to data
presented in a recent National Academy of Sciences' (NAS) National Research Council (NRC) report.
presented in a recent National Academy of Sciences' (NAS) National Research Council (NRC) report.
According to Dr. Robert Carton, retired Environmental Protection Agency scientist , "Scientists now believe that fluoride at low doses causes the following health effects: bone fractures, dental fluorosis (loss of tooth enamel), arthritis (inflammation in the joints), brain damage (actual destruction of cells), thyroid dysfunction, and possibly bone cancer (osteosarcoma). Besides thyroid damage, it cites other effects on the hormone system including impaired glucose tolerance (Type II diabetes) and earlier sexual maturity." Dr. Carton's full analysis of the NRC report is published in the Fluoride Journal here: http://www.fluorideresearch.org/393/files/FJ2006_v39_n3_p163-172.pdf
References:
More evidence that fluoridation fails New York State:
(1) U.S. Dep’t of Health and Human Services, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, “Dental Care Improving Access and Quality”
And
U.S. General Accounting Organization, “Oral Health Factors Contributing to Low Use of Dental Services by Low-Income Populations,” September 2000
(1a) "Disparities in Oral Health and Access to Care: Findings of National Surveys," by Edelstein Ambulatory Pediatrics, March-April 2002
(2) New York State Department of Health, Community Health Assessment Indicators (Oral Health) http://www.health.state.ny.us/statistics/chac/chai/index.htm
(3) Fluoridation rate of NYS Counties provided by Tim Cook, DDS, former NYS Dep’t of Health employee
(4) The Impact of Oral Disease in New York State,” New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Dental Health, December 2006, Green et al (page 8)
(4a) http://www.eyeonwashington.com/agd/ (click on State)
(5) Potgieter, M., Morse, E.H., Erlenbach, F. M., and Dall, R.: The food habits and dental status of some Connecticut children. J. Dent. Res., 35:638. 1956
(6) Connecticut State Department of Public Health, “Open Wide Curriculum – Lesson 1: Dental Decay,” http://www.dph.state.ct.us/bch/oralhealth/publications_reports/openwide_curriculum/OW_Lesson_1.pdf
(7) “Elements of effective action to improve oral health & access to dental care for Connecticut’s children & families,” Commissioned by Connecticut Health Foundation and Children’s Fund of Connecticut, Prepared by James J. Crall, DDS, ScD and Burton L. Edelstein DDS, MPH (page 4)
(9) “The relationship between healthful eating practices and dental caries in children aged 2-5 years in the United States, 1988-94,” J. Am Dent Assoc, January 2004, by Dye et al.
(10) “U.S. Kids’ Health Habits Put Them at Risk,” Healthscout.com, Jan 26, 2007 http://www.healthscout.com/news/1/601319/main.html
(13a)http://drc.hhs.gov/report/dqs_tables/dqs_1_1_1.htm
(14)
(15) http://groups.google.com/group/Fluoridation-News-Releases/browse_thread/thread/51981fb711662057
http://www.fluoridedangers.blogspot.com
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