LEGAL DISCLAIMER

This blog site — Bluebonnet Natural Healing Therapy— is for general health information only. This blog site is not to be used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment of any health condition or problem. Users of this blog site should not rely on information provided here for their own health concerns. Any questions regarding your own health should be addressed to your own physician or other healthcare provider.

Donna Earnest Pravel makes no guarantees, warranties nor express or implied representations whatsoever regarding the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, comparative or controversial nature, or usefulness of any information contained or referenced on this blog site. Neither does Donna assume any risk whatsoever for your use of this blog site or the information contained herein.

Health-related information changes frequently and therefore information contained on this blog site may be outdated, incomplete or incorrect. Statements made about products have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.

Donna Earnest Pravel is not a physician or anything close to a licensed health care professional. Use of this blog site does not create an expressed or implied physician-patient or any other health care giver-patient or client relationship.

Readers are advised to consult with a physician or other professional health-care provider prior to making any decisions, or undertaking any actions or not undertaking any actions related to any health care problem or issue you might have at any time, now or in the future.

In using this blog site you agree that neither Donna Earnest Pravel nor any other party is or will be liable or otherwise responsible for any decision made or any action taken or any action not taken due to your use of any information presented on this blog site.

Monday, February 6, 2012

Just How Bad is Fluoride in Drinking Water?: Fluorosis in Teeth

Before I get into the body of this post, I want to give a warm welcome to all of my new subscribers! I am thrilled and honored to have you aboard and hope I can provide you with meaty content that you can take home and use in your real lives.

I got a wonderful response to my post called "Water, Water Everywhere, But Nary a Drop to Drink... From Your Tap, That Is!" People from all over the U.S. made comments on Facebook and Google+ telling me all the "gross stuff" they were finding in their city's tap water. I got into an insightful discussion with an environmental scientist in Iowa who told me how the EPA slaps nasty fines and legal action against cities who do not comply with the federal guidelines for safe drinking water. Then he said, "... but their idea of safe and our idea of safe may not be the same thing."  He said clean water doesn't come cheap, and it is up to the voters within each city to bring pressure to bear on their city officials to ensure the cleanest tap water possible. They can and will do it, if the voters are willing to pay for it. I'd like to challenge the readers of Bluebonnet Natural Healing Therapy to lead in taking civic action to clean up our water supply.

On to today's post...

One of the ways many of us can lobby for clean water is to get our city leaders to take the fluoride out of our drinking water supply. Today I want to give you just one reason to remove fluoride from your drinking water: fluorosis in teeth.

Dental fluorosis has become a widespread problem in children due to consuming too much fluoride- image by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Haven't we all been taught to believe that fluoride reduces or prevents tooth decay? Good parents who are concerned about their children's dental health dutifully purchase toothpastes which contain fluoride, dental rinses and gels containing fluoride, and even prescription fluoride tablets which are supposed to help prevent tooth decay and cavities (caries). On top of this, fluoride is added to city drinking water because it was once believed that doing so reduced the risk of dental caries and tooth decay. The practice of over-using fluoride products has lead to an alarming occurrence of dental fluorosis in children under eight years old.

When children consume too much fluoride while their permanent teeth are developing under their gums, the fluoride actually eats away at the enamel of the teeth. Very mild fluorosis looks like this:


It may be hard to detect very mild cases of fluorosis, but the vertical ridges and the white spots near the edge of the teeth are there. It may be easier to see fluorosis when it looks like this, which is still considered a mild case:


Here the mottled, white edges are quite visible, along with a small amount of enamel erosion. Have you seen children with teeth like this?

While most people would believe that fluorosis is caused by fluoride toothpaste and rinses, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention says that 75% of fluoride comes from tap water consumption. To quote the CDC: "In the United States, water and processed beverages (e.g., soft drinks and [commercially prepared] fruit juices) can provide approximately 75% of a person's fluoride intake."

Here I must ask a question: If fluoride can dissolve children's teeth while the teeth are inside the gums, what is it doing to other tissues, such as bones? The Fluoride Action Network certainly thinks fluoride is dissolving bone tissue, in a fascinating article called "Fluoride and Bone Fracture." In the article, the author gives clear evidence, supported by both animal and human clinical studies, that long-term consumption of fluoridated water causes an increase in bone fractures in all populations.

Do you agree that we need not only to get fluoride out of our drinking water, we also need to stop drinking soft drinks and commercially-prepared juices, energy drinks, and even vitamin waters, because they may contain fluoridated water?


6 comments:

  1. Tooth decay does not choose any age; it would affect those who are not mindful of their dental condition. Neglecting our tooth’s health may cause more problems in the future. Treatments are always available though it would be best if one would see to it. thanks to share.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for the comment, Andy!

      You're right. While this post targets children's dental health, we all must be diligent about it.

      Delete
  2. My son (about to turn 3) - I had recently discovered his teeth (fronts only) were becomming discolored and mottled looking. I initially thought he had a form of cavities forming, and was shocked because we take really good care of his teeth. Found out it was flourosis from juices and drinking water. I am upset to say the very least, and these are BABY teeth mind you, I am terrified to know if his adult teeth have been effected. There really should be more regulations on what our children are allowed to consume. I don't understand why we even have an FDA or EPA when they don't do their jobs! :(

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for your comment, Jen!

      >>...was shocked because we take really good care of his teeth.<<

      That's the kicker! All of these wonderful parents like you, Jen, are doing what they believe is the best for their children, and then find out they are being completely misled by corporations and a government they thought they could trust.

      >>There really should be more regulations on what our children are allowed to consume.<<

      My eyes are just now being opened to how all of these environmental changes that have been occurring since... say, the 60's or 70's are affecting *children.* See, children aren't little adults. Their bodies aren't fully developed until they are about 21 or so. So the things that might *possibly* be considered safe by our dear three letter government organizations and the medical community may have no bearing upon little ones whose bodies are still developing. I'm talking about all of their body tissues and brain development, not just their teeth.

      >>I don't understand why we even have an FDA or EPA when they don't do their jobs!<<

      Well, I've learned the hard way, and it looks like you are, too, that these three letters orgs actually *are* doing their jobs. If you can detach from thinking "they" are going to keep you and you children safe, and instead become 100% responsible for your own and your children's health, safety, education, etc., I can almost guarantee you son will grow up much better off that the children whose parents are either clueless or don't care enough about their children's welfare.

      Read all the labels, Jen. Start doing your own research. Don't blindly trust anything or anyone. This is what Bluebonnet is about. I'll tell you what I know, and you and everyone else can contribute what they know. We learn together that way.

      BTW- I do not know yet if you can turn fluorosis around naturally. I have a hunch you can. It will require a completely re-mineralization of your little boy's body. I will do some homework and let you know.

      Thanks again for the great comment.

      -Donna

      Delete
  3. It is essential to start proper dental care with your baby’s first teeth. Never allow your child fall a sleep with a bottle of milk or juice in his or her mouth because the sugar left in the child’s teeth will be broken down into acid by bacteria. Eventually, this will lead to dental decay.

    ReplyDelete