There is more to fluoridated water than you may be aware of.

Many of us have been brought up to think that fluoride in our waters protect our teeth from tooth decays and keep our teeth and bones strong. What we were NOT told is that consuming fluoridated water can be problematic. Its impact on our health, including our bones and teeth, could do us more harm than good.

Open your eyes to some of the alarming facts about fluoridated water below.

The start of water fluoridation

Water fluoridation started in the 1920s, when the manufacture of aluminum was flourishing. The production of the metal created toxic waste that had to be disposed of at a substantial cost. The producers hence had to find innovative ways of cutting their costs, namely by getting others to buy their waste.

They started with marketing their fluoride waste as insecticides and rat poisons. Subsequently, they found a larger market for their chemical waste, by convincing people that adding fluoride to water helps prevent cavities. The advertising techniques they used were so persuasive that the masses were bought over, even though the claims of fluoridation benefits were supported by little or no evidence.

The “wrong type” of fluoride

Our bodies do need fluoride, but not the type used in fluoridated waters.

In nature, fluoride occurs in the form of calcium fluoride. It is found in soil, plants and natural water bodies (eg. rivers and sea), and is beneficial to our bones and teeth.

However, different forms of fluoride are usually used in fluoridated water (e.g. fluorosilicic acid, sodium fluoride, sodium fluorosilicate). These fluorides usually bind to proteins in our body and are poorly absorbed.

Too much fluoride can kill you

When it comes to fluoride, we only require a few milligrams of this trace element each day. In fact, fluoride at concentrations of 4 ppm is considered unsafe and fluoride overdose can kill. Hence, toothpastes are often accompanied by warnings to be kept away from young children.

Though only about 1ppm of fluoride is usually added to water supplies, this concentration could be problematic for those who have smaller body size (e.g. young children), as well as for those who are exposed to other sources of fluoride, such as seafood, grape juice, beer and canned beverages, dental products (e.g. toothpastes, sealants), medications (e.g. some antidepressants, antibiotics and asthmatic drugs), some vitamin supplements, some bottled water, non-stick aluminum cookware and tobacco smoke.

Fluoride can be bad for the teeth and bones

At 1mg/L, fluoride in water can cause dental fluorosis – a process where the fluoride weakens and damages your tooth enamel. The situation is especially problematic when it comes to young children, since they have smaller body mass for the same concentration of the chemical added in the water supplies.

Health problems brought about by fluoridated water

The fluoride in your water can suppress your thyroid gland and bring you hypothyroidism, such that you may experience lowered energy levels, suppressed immunity, reduced sex drive and unexplained weight gains.

Fluoride can also increase the accumulation of metals in your body, and metal toxicity has been linked to ailments like Alzheimer’s disease and autism. Fluoride accumulation in the pineal gland also affects your body’s production of melatonin, which is involved in regulating your sleep-wake cycle, as well as the onset of puberty in your children.

Fluoride and cancer

A 2005 study by the Harvard School of Dental Health found that fluoride in water increased the risk of bone cancer in young boys. It seems that fluoride damages the enzymes involved in DNA repair, which are essential in the prevention of cancer.

Read more about the harms of fluoridated water.

References
[1] Bollinger, Ty. Cancer: Step Outside The Box. 5th ed. USA: Infinity 510 510 Partners, 2011. Print.
[2] Blaylock, Russell L, MD. Natural Strategies For Cancer Patients. New York, NY: Kensington Publishing, 2003. Print.
[3] Mercola, Joseph, Dr., and Pearsall, Kendra, Dr. Take Control of Your Health. Schaumburg, IL: Mercola.com, 2007. Print.
[4] http://www.naturalnews.com/043994_fluoride_American_Dental_Association_brain_impairment.html

Cindy L. TJOL is trained in Psychology, Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine. She has several years of experience writing on natural health on the internet. Follow her on her blog and read her other articles at Insights On Health.com.