What is that stuff fluoride?
Why do some people disapprove of adding fluoride to drinking water?
People are opposed to adding fluoride to drinking water because of many different reasons. One of the main reasons why people are opposed is because fluoride is not an essential nutrient to the body. There are no human diseases that will be caught because of lack of fluoride. The human body does not need fluoride for any of its physiological processes. People are also opposed to fluoride because there are many health risks and side effects caused by low-to-moderate doses of fluoride including dental fluorosis, bone fractures, bone cancer, joint pain, skin rash, reduced thyroid activity and IQ deficits. Fluoridated water is not healthy to babies brains because the have not developed a toxin-barrier.
2. What would your position be on adding fluoride to the water and why?
My position on adding fluoride to the water would be to continue what we have been doing. Water fluoridation has been going on since 1956 and yet we have seen no real problems since then. Water fluoridation is scientifically proven to reduce dental decay and even if it is minute, I see no reason to halt this procedure. I think that if water fluoridation gets to be really expensive than we should consider putting water fluoridation to an end. The health effects of water fluoridation can sometimes be serious, but it is very rare that people get cancer or reduced thyroid activity from drinking water. I don’t think that we need to change our ways because some people believe that it can be potentially harmful in little ways.
What technological advances had to be made in toothpaste before fluoride could be widely used in toothpaste and mouthwashes?
The technological advances that had to be made in toothpaste were that the fluoride had to be married with compatible abrasive. The most simple fluoride choice, such as sodium fluoride were not soluble in the abrasives found in most toothpastes such as Calcium phosphate. Finally, a company named Proctor and Gamble developed a fluoride-abrasive combination that worked. They used stannous fluoride and paired it with pyrophosphate. This formula was launched under Crest in 1955. The next dental fluoride breakthrough came in 1967 when Colgate-Palmolive started making toothpaste with sodium monofluorophosphate (MFP). This created a whole new market for toothpaste and really pushed the dental care industry forward. The last major improvement in the dental fluoride industry was in 1982 when P&G started using sodium fluoride in their toothpastes. Sodium fluoride is able to be used in toothpaste because it uses a hydrated silica abrasive. This does not cause sodium fluoride dissociation. Also, gel toothpastes owe their translucence to silica so gel toothpastes increase the demand for sodium fluoride based toothpastes.
What side effects of using fluoride in drinking water are of most concern to you? Why?
The side effects of using fluoride in drinking water that are most concerning to me are bone cancer and brain damage. The National Toxicology program states that fluoride is a mutagen or a compound that causes genetic damage. Mutagens are generally thought to be linked to cancer, so you could argue that fluoride can cause cancer. Cancer is the most concerning side effect to me because cancer is a serious condition that can kill people or inhibit their lives forever. I would much rather take a skin rash than have to deal with cancer, because cancer can hospitalize you for months and can be detrimental to your health. Another side effect that concerns me is Brain Damage. The neurological effects of fluoride on humans has been proven and strengthened by over 40 studies. It has been proven by scientists that fluoride, much like lead exposure, cause IQ deficits. This fact has been especially consistent in children. This concerns me because altering my IQ could mean changing the way my brain functions altogether. I would like my IQ or my brain to be changed in any way.
The following information was received from the following sources: The Fluoride Action Network and Chemical and Engineering Network.
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