New Science has proven that there are limited Health Benefits to water fluoridation; fluoridated water is harmful to infants; fluoridation of public water supplies is an added burden on the environment and ecology; fluoridation is enforced medication which breaches an individuals civil liberties; water fluoridation places a heavy cost on Regional Councils for little benefit to the community; fluoride used in water fluoridation is contaminated with heavy metals including lead.
1. New Science has proven that there are limited health benefits to water fluoridation
There are numerous modern studies to show that there is no difference in dental decay rates between fluoridated and non-fluoridated areas, the most recent one being conducted in Australia (Armfield & Spencer, 2004 Community Dental Oral Epidemiology. 32:283-96).
When you observe world statistics they show tooth decay is on the decline in both fluoridated and non-fluoridated areas. This is a trend that is demonstrated when viewing the statistics across the States in America and in the smaller counties, see the charts and findings by Dr. Bil Osmunsun in the video by The Fluoride Action Network.
Recently in New Zealand a study was undertaken in Kaikohe and Kaitaia. After two years of fluoridation no difference was observed in tooth decay rates in the fluoridated areas compared to un-fluoridated in the Far North. This, among many other studies, has proven water fluoridation is ineffective.
The basic premise that ingesting fluoride prevents tooth decay has been disproven. When water fluoridation was first introduced en masse in the 1950s, dentists argued that fluoride needed to be ingested by children -- while their teeth are developing -- in order to be effective. So Fluoridation began to happen for children and adults alike. This argument was supported by an unproven theory that ingested fluoride would accumulate in developing teeth and make the “fluoride-enriched” teeth stronger for life. Over the past 30 years this theory has been put to the test and almost unanimously rejected by dental researchers (Featherstone 2000; Fejerskov 2004).
2. Fluoridated water is harmful to infants
Both the American Dental Association and Centre for Disease Control have issued recommendations that fluoridated water not be given to infants nor used to make infant formula, because of the impact on the development of their brains and endocrine system.
Fluoridated water is 250 times more concentrated than mothers milk. Some scientists have suggested that mother nature has got it wrong but that is not a position we agree with. We should not be exposing our most vulnerable to this harmful substance.
3. Fluoridation of public water supplies is an added burden on the environment and ecology
According to a study undertaken in 1995 of 46 sites in the South-Eastern area of the Ukraine that had different levels of industrial pollution, it was found among the environmental pollutants that fluoride was most damaging. in 1972 the newly formed Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in America did a survey of atmospheric fluoride polluters. The EPA report stated: "The fluorides currently emitted [by industry] may damage economic crops, farm animals, and materials of decoration (i.e. flowers, etc.".
A research review was presented at the Conference of the International Society for Fluoride Research, Beijing, China in September 1994 which stated "A review of literature and documentation suggests that concentrations of fluoride above 0.2 mg/L have lethal effects on and inhibit migration of 'endangered' salmon species whose stocks are now in serious decline in the US Northwest and British Columbia. Fluoride added to drinking water 'to improve dental health', enters the fresh water eco-system in various ways, at levels above 0.2 mg/L. This factor, if considered in 'critical habitat' decisions, should lead to the development of a strategy calling for a ban on fluoridation and rapid sunsetting of the practice of disposal of industrial fluoride waste into fresh water".
4. Fluoridation is enforced medication that breaches an individuals' civil liberties
Fluoride is the only chemical added to drinking water for the purpose of medication (to prevent tooth decay). All other treatment chemicals are added to treat the water to improve the water's quality and safety - something fluoride does not do. This is one of the reasons why most of Europe has rejected fluoridation and why it is now being questioned by professionals in the United States.
Dr. Charles Gordon Heyd, former President of the American Medical Association said "I am appalled at the prospect of using water as a vehicle for drugs. Fluoride is a corrosive poison that will produce serious effects on a long range basis. Any attempt to use water this way is deplorable."
The British Medical Journal in 2007 announced it's findings of a review of fluoridation and said the evidence underpinning water fluoridation is of “poor quality.” ... “If fluoride is a medicine, evidence on its effects should be subject to the standards of proof expected of drugs, including evidence from randomized trials...There have been no randomized trials of water fluoridation."
In Belgium, it is "the fundamental position of the drinking water sector that it is not its task to deliver medicinal treatment to people. This is the sole responsibility of health services" (Chr. Legros, Directeur, Belgaqua, Brussels, Belgium, February 28, 2000).
In Luxembourg, "In our views, drinking water isn't the suitable way for medicinal treatment and that people needing an addition of fluoride can decide by their own to use the most appropriate way" (Jean-Marie RIES, Head, Water Department, Administration De L'Environment, May 3, 2000).
Furthermore, it is illegal for Doctors to prescribe medicine without a license or private consultation. Fluoridation allows Councillors, Dentists and Politicians to prescribe without a license or private consultation. Using a one size fits all, uncontrolled dose, approach to prescribe fluoride for questionable benefits is an inappropriate way for the government to administer chemicals.
5. Water fluoridation places a heavy cost on Regional Councils for little benefit to the community
The cost of implementing fluoridation stations is considerable. It can cost a District Council in excess of a quarter of a million dollars to install fluoridation plants. Pipes corrode faster than un-fluoridated water pipes and require replacing more often increasing maintenance costs.
The high cost of fluoridation was the main reason the Whangarei District Council said no to the practice. Considering it has now been proven there are no real benefits to fluoridation it is a costly exercise and expenditure of rate and tax payers money for no good reason.
6. Fluoride used in water fluoridation is contaminated with heavy metals including lead
Fluoridation was originally a corporate promoted solution for the phosphate fertilizer industry to sell their toxic waste product for profit. The fluoride used is contaminated with heavy metals (including lead - a known neuro toxin that was banned in petrol) and sometimes radioactive material posing added health risks (NZ Water and Wastes Association Standard for "Water Treatment Grade" fluoride, 1997)
The phosphate industry use "scrubbers" to capture fluoride gases produced in the production of commercial fertilizer. If they allowed too much of it to escape into the atmosphere they would be liable as environmental polluters. If the fluoride acid was placed in a barrel with holes in it and dumped in our rivers they would face heavy fines and possible criminal prosecution.
However a solution has been found whereby the fluoride acid (hydrofluorosilicic acid), a classified hazardous waste, is barrelled up and sold, unrefined, to communities across the world for the purpose of adding it to public water supply to mass medicate populations and prevent tooth decay in forming teeth (a theory now disproven). Mysteriously the substance becomes safe for the environment and humans once it is packaged and sold in this way.
Even if you don't live in a community where fluoride is added to water, you'll still be getting a dose of it through cereal, soda, juice, beer and any other processed food and drink manufactured with fluoridated water.
If it is illegal for these corporations to dump the waste in our rivers it certainly should be illegal for them to sell fluoride for the purpose of adding it to our drinking water. This practice is exposed by Chris Bryson, an award wining investigative journalist, in his book The Fluoride Deception. View Chris Bryson speaking out about his investigation into fluoridation on video.