Some good scientists on fluoridation policy which should be of special interest to seniors:
Expert in Risk Assessment: “One usually expects at least a factor of 10 between a no-effect level and a maximum ‘safe for everyone’ level, yet here EPA seems to approve of less than a factor of 6 between ‘not safe’ and ‘recommended for everyone’ (including susceptible subpopulations).” - Dr. Kathleen Thiessen, 2006 National Research Committee panelist (2017)
Expert in Medical Chemistry: “Community water fluoridation is a malignant medical myth!” - Professor Joel Kauffman, chemistry innovator and multi-patent holder (2006)
Expert in Environmental Toxins: “This is a very well-conducted study, and it raises serious concerns about fluoride supplementation in water. These new insights raise concerns that the prenatal period may be highly vulnerable and may require additional reconsideration," - Dr. Leonardo Trasande MD, New York University Langone Health on 2017 NIH sponsored longitudinal study on IQ and prenatal exposure to fluoride by Bashash et al. (2017)
Expert in Chemical Analysis of Water: “Fluoride has a very short life in blood, is quickly sequestered in bones and excreted through the urine. This is a biological clue that the body regards fluoride as highly dangerous.” - Susan Kanen, biochemist formerly with Army Corps of Engineers, Washington Aqueduct, water treatment plant for Washington, DC, whistleblower on lead in drinking water (2016)
Expert in Medical Journalism: “In large measure, those marred by dementia are showing the results of toxicity from mercury, aluminum, lead, cadmium, arsenic and other heavy metals. Their neurons have been poisoned. They are turned into Alzheimer’s victims directly through the efforts of dentists who blindly follow the party line of their trade union organization, the ADA.” - Dr. Morton Walker, DPM (1994)
Expert in biochemistry with a particular interest in toxicology: “When I tried to raise the issue with the Australian Dental Association, whom I thought were interested in the science and in integrity, there was no interest. In fact there was a lot of pressure against me to say anything at all. There was a great concern about upsetting our principle sponsors, the toothpaste manufacturers….” - Dr. Andrew Harms, BDS, former fluoridation promoter and former President of the South Australian division of the Australian Dental Association (2013)
And excerpts from recent studies.
Steve,
I would like to look at some research which is powerful questioning support of fluoride ingestion. The Figure 1 reproduced from the CDC Oral Health Division web page is an example of cherry picked evidence. In dental school I was shown the early renditions which were used to convince me fluoridation caused caries to decline.
Evidence settled, some might say. However, look and think about the evidence. Caries declined from 4 DMFT to just over 1 DMFT. Very impressive, 75% reduction in caries. The graph seems to claim the huge decrease resulted from an increase in about 17% of the ENTIRE USA population fluoridated. Not possible. Even a halo from heaven could not do that. Fluoride would have to have been targeted on the 17% of the population most at risk, not randomly added to public water in various cities. The CDC knows their evidence is bogus, an exageration and simply cherry picked science. But they persist in telling lies.
Now lets look at a longer time frame as presented in the graph below which includes the CDC timeline with the same decline. However, a longer timeline helps put perspective on fluoridation. Caries declined from over 11 cavities for a 12 year old in 1930, to about half by the time fluoridation became significant.
What cause the huge decline in caries prior to fluoridation and fluoride toothpaste? Please answer Steve?
Once you know what caused the decline, based on research, then explain how that huge caries crushing cause all of a sudden stopped when fluoridation started and the credit for caries reduction can be given to fluoridation.
Any benefit from fluoridation, based on the population at large is simply pipe smoke speculation and assumptions.
Yes, two events happened but the evidence does not show common cause. Any study comparing two groups may simply be comparing the random decline which we could say is a natural ebb and flow of all diseases.
Bill Osmunson DDS MPH
Bill,
How about we stick with clinical dentistry for the present moment Bill. And perhaps a bit of evidence-based science thrown in.
1. You stated in your testimony in Cortland, NY, that you place veneers over teeth that are showing fluorosis from CWF. You did not show any before or after pictures. You know that the only fluorosis attributed to CWF is very mild to mild. Why don't you show pictures of before and afters of patients you've treated from CWF that needed veneers? I'd like to see them. Please refer to the CDC figure below:
Normal | Questionable | Very mild |
Mild | Moderate | Severe |
https://www.cdc.gov/fluoridation/faqs/dental_fluorosis/index.htm
2. The US Community Preventive Services Task Force stated that severe fluorosis does not occur from CWF. The literature review that they undertook was reviewed by the Cochrane Oral Health Group (COHG), the same COHG that published their report in 2015 on CWF. They gave their stamp of approval to the studies used.
The USCPSTF findings:
Task Force Finding (April 2013) The Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends
1. community water fluoridation based on strong evidence of effectiveness in reducing dental caries across populations.
2. Evidence shows the prevalence of caries is substantially lower in communities with CWF.
3. In addition, there is no evidence that CWF results in severe dental fluorosis. Evidence indicates the economic benefit of CWF is greater than the cost.
4.In addition, the benefit-cost ratio increases with the size of the community population.
Lastly, your mixing of facts and snippets of information based on the typical anti-fluoridation 101 handbook should be somthing left to a person that is outside of our profession, especially someone with an MPH after their name. Stick with the facts.
Show me before/afters of the last 10 patients that you treated with veneers that were required by fluorosis that you relate to CWF. It's time to become a dentist here, Bill. Let the other non-dental commentors use the double talk that you are putting out. Let's make this about clinical experiences.
Respectfully,
Johnny Johnson, Jr., DMD, MS
Pediatric Dentistry
Diplomate American Board of Pediatric Dentistry
Life Fellow, American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry
President, American Fluoridation Society
Dr. Johnny Johnson,
Before I respond to your comments, let me once again express my admiration for Pedodontists. I worked in a rural area where there were no specialists and I took children to the hospital for treatment. Moving on to a larger center, the first thing I did was find a good Pedodontist to take my children.
Adults usually know why they have problems and accept treatment. Children don't understand and too often suffer with fear, pain, and the unknown. I hurt for the kids and was just as stressed as they. I would not have lasted long drilling holes in children. God bless Pedodontists. And yes, I gave the kids fluoride before I knew it was frying their thyroids and brains.
Yes, I treat dental fluorosis. Some try bleaching, which can have some benefit. Some try smoothing and recalcification, but they don't follow through well. Some want composite veneers and some porcelain veneers.
Johnny, those (CPSTF and others) who say that severe fluorosis does not occur with CWF. . . make no sense and have their heads buried in the sand.
CWF is a contributing factor for total fluoride exposure. No one has done a study on humans removing all other sources of fluoride. Humans don't consume ONLY CWF water and no foods, medications, dental products or any other sources of fluoride. CPSTF is probably correct, if the only intake of fluoride were CWF, the person would die from lack of food and air. . . never developing DF. Many sources of fluoride and we don't live in isolation living on CWF alone.
The statement is not real world, reality, and is theoretical abstract non-sense.
CWF contributes to total fluoride exposure.
My concern is TOTAL FLUORIDE EXPOSURE.
20% of adolescents have moderate/severe DF. When CWF started, Burk assured us perhaps only 10-15% of children would get DF and then only the mildest forms. We now have 60% with 20% moderate/severe. In my judgment, too many children are ingesting too much fluoride.
As a public health professional, it is urgent that we reduce total fluoride exposure. Do we do that by removing fluoride medications, pesticides, post-harvest fumigants, or ?????? Clearly, adding more fluoride to the diet with CWF is the most reasonable step to reduce exposure. In fact, HHS agreed, lowering the concentration to 0.7 ppm. They estimated a 14% reduction in exposure. A great start, but not enough. Getting the CWF to 0.4 ppm would still not be enough. We need a cessation of CWF AND also determine where additional fluoride is coming from or is the DF a synergistic effect from other chemicals?
CDC needs to release the data on the next two dental fluorosis surveys after 2011-2012 NHANES. Yes, they have done two more and have released the data on everything except DF. Why???? Why not release all the data ASAP?
How many of the USCPSTF members have reservations about CWF? No, the members were cherry picked for their support of CWF. Because of their belief in CWF, they did not demand high quality evidence. Cochrane reviews are better/higher quality.
You suggest my comments are mixing facts and snippets, but I can say the same for your comments.
Indeed, some evidence is stronger than others. Each needs to be weighed and the weight of each added for a judgment.
1. Many are ingesting too much fluoride.
2. Stopping CWF will still not reduce total exposure enough to get DF under control.
3. The evidence for efficacy of ingesting fluoride is not adequate to gain FDA approval. Ingesting fluoride may not work, topical has some benefit.
4. The evidence of risk is ever increasing and rapidly now that researchers know how to focus their research to areas of concern.
Question Johnny, "What concentration of fluoride in the tooth is optimal?" Teeth with caries and without caries have similar concentrations of fluoride, except for topical application on the surface of the tooth.
Bill Osmunson DDS MPH
“Fluoride has no known essential function in human growth and development and no signs of fluoride deficiency have been identified.” - European Food Safety Authority on DRV (2013)
“Based on data from the National Academy of Sciences, current levels of fluoride exposure in drinking water may cause arthritis in a substantial portion of the population long before they reach old age" - Dr. Robert Carton, EPA Scientist (1993)
"Drinking water: 1.0 mg/L is the upper limit the body may tolerate; less the better as fluoride is injurious to health." - Bureau of Indian Standards, 2012
There are essential nutrients and non-essential nutrients. Fluoride is neither in any form despite dental assertions to the contrary. The best American dentists got was convincing some folks in the 1990s to call it a beneficial element with no known adverse effects up to 10 mgs per day - but that ship has sailed.
Fluoride is an enzyme poison and inflammatory drug that accumulates in bones, bodies and brains. In this century, it has been scientifically determined that fluoride is a developmental neurotoxicant (brain poison) even in low doses previously considered safe and that 0.5 mg/L disrupts thyroid function and that 1 mg/L is nephrotoxic to struggling kidneys. Fluoride penetrates the brain where it can disrupt sleep patterns when it calcifies the pineal gland. If you drink 3 liters of water a day at 0.7 ppm, assuming you aren't using any fluoridated dental products or have any other exposure and have healthy kidneys, your dose would be 2.1 mg.
* About 40% of Americans over age 60 develop bone spurs - Stage 2 Skeletal Fluorosis.
* About 70 million Americans suffer from gastrointestinal disease.
Individual susceptiblity to fluoride poisoning varies.
2015 Review:
http://fluorideandfluorosis.com/Reprints/pdf/IJPP%2017(2)%202015.pdf
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