Research
Current Prevalence of Dental Fluorosis:
Before the widespread use of fluorides in dentistry, dental fluorosis was a rarity. Today it is rampant. In the 1950s, fluoridation advocates estimated that 10% of children would develop fluorosis in fluoridated areas. Recent research, however, has found that fluorosis rates in fluoridated areas now range as high as 70 to 80%. Not only has the prevalence of fluorosis increased, but its severity has increased as well. Thus, whereas children did not develop moderate or severe fluorosis in fluoridated areas back in the 1930s, the latest national survey from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) found that over 3% of adolescents now have this condition. Read more.
Racial Disparities in Fluorosis Rates:
In 2005, the CDC reported that the rate of dental fluorosis among black children in the United States is significantly higher than the rate among white children. As the CDC also noted, this was not the first time that black children were found to suffer higher rates of dental fluorosis. Indeed, at least five previous studies — dating as far back as the 1960s — have found black children in the United States are disproportionately impacted by dental fluorosis. Read more.
Perceptions & Psychological Impact of Dental Fluorosis:
Studies have repeatedly found that the general public perceives the tooth discoloration caused by dental fluorosis as unattractive, likely to cause embarrassment, and sufficiently displeasing to justify cosmetic treatment. In its severe forms, dental fluorosis causes highly disfiguring brown and black stains which can cause significant teasing from peers due to the “dirty” or “rotten” appearance of the teeth. Due to the central importance of physical appearance to a young person’s self-esteem, the disfiguring stains of severe fluorosis carry significant psychological consequences. Even “mild” forms of fluorosis — marked by cloudy specks, splotches, and streaks on up to 50% of the tooth — have been found to cause embarrassment and increased self-consciousness in children. Read more.
Biology of Dental Fluorosis
Dental fluorosis is a mineralization defect of the tooth enamel known as “hypo-mineralization.” Hypo-mineralized enamel is marked by increased subsurface porosity. Despite over 50 years of research, the exact mechanism by which fluoride causes fluorosis is not yet understood. It is commonly believed, however, that fluoride causes the effect through a toxic mechanism on the cells (ameloblasts) that form the enamel. In addition to effecting the enamel, fluoride can also effect the mineralization of dentin as well.
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The Absurdities of Water Fluoridation
[caption id="attachment_10205" align="alignleft" width="190"] Paul Connett, PhD[/caption] Water fluoridation is a peculiarly American phenomenon. It started at a time when Asbestos lined our pipes, lead was added to gasoline, PCBs filled our transformers and DDT was deemed so "safe and effective" that officials felt no qualms spraying kids in school classrooms
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Why I am now officially opposed to adding fluoride to drinking water
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iF-hKlIgCuM April, 2000 To whom it may concern: Since April of 1999, I have publicly decried the addition of fluoride, especially hydrofluosilicic acid, to drinking water for the purpose of preventing tooth decay. The following summarize my reasons. New evidence for lack of effectiveness of fluoridation in modern times. [caption id="attachment_10211" align="alignleft" width="150"] Dr. Hardy
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50 Reasons to Oppose Fluoridation
Introduction [caption id="attachment_11821" align="alignleft" width="200"] Dr. Paul Connett[/caption] In Europe, only Ireland (73%), Poland (1%), Serbia (3%), Spain (11%), and the U.K. (11%) fluoridate any of their water. Most developed countries, including Japan and 97% of the western European population, do not consume fluoridated water. In the U.S., about 70% of public water supplies are
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Fluoride & IQ: 76 Studies
Note: See the Updated list of fluoride IQ studies at https://fluoridealert.org/researchers/fluoride-iq-studies/the-fluoride-iq-studies/ • As of July 18, 2022, a total of 85 human studies have investigated the relationship between fluoride and human intelligence. • Of these investigations, 76 studies have reported that elevated fluoride exposure is associated with reduced IQ in humans. • The studies
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Fluoride's Effect on Fetal Brain
The human placenta does not prevent the passage of fluoride from a pregnant mother's bloodstream to the fetus. As a result, a fetus can be harmed by fluoride ingested pregnancy. Based on research from China, the fetal brain is one of the organs susceptible to fluoride poisoning. As highlighted by the excerpts
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Fluoride: Developmental Neurotoxicity.
Developmental Neurotoxicity There has been a tremendous amount of research done on the association of exposure to fluoride with developmental neurotoxicity. There are over 60 studies reporting reduced IQ in children and several on the impaired learning/memory in animals. And there are studies which link fluoride to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Teaching
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Email Exchange with FDA re: Fluoride Supplements
Email exchange regarding FDA's reasons for not approving fluoride supplements.
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Harvard's Statement on Chester Douglass/Scientific Misconduct
Statement Concerning the Outcome of the Review into Allegations of Research Misconduct Involving Fluoride Research BOSTON-August 15, 2006-The Harvard Medical School and School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) review of Chester Douglass, DMD, PhD, professor of oral health policy and epidemiology at HSDM, has concluded that Douglass did not intentionally omit, misrepresent,
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The 'Altered Recommendations' of the 1983 Surgeon General's Panel
"We believe that EPA staff and managers should be called to testify, along with members of the 1983 Surgeon Generals panel and officials of the Department of Human Services, to explain how the original recommendations of the Surgeon Generals panel were altered to allow EPA to set otherwise unjustifiable drinking water standards for fluoride."
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