Over the past few years I’ve been doing research on fluoride and have learned many unsettling things about how dangerous it is and about how we’ve all been deceived about its benefits and risks. Why would anyone tell us it’s good to put in our water supply since it prevents tooth decay when they know that’s not true? If you can’t already guess, these types of answers usually revolve around money!

Fluoride: Dangers and Deceptions

My warnings to you about fluoride come in two forms: the health dangers of fluoride itself as well as the dangers from continued deception on the part of government and public health officials to convince us that fluoride is safe. There are several main points I want to share with you, from Mercola.com:

• Fluoride does not stop tooth decay, but instead causes teeth to rot and crumble, similar to the mechanism that causes osteoporosis.
• Federal health agencies have known these facts for years, but have been controlled by the political interests of the nuclear arms, aluminum, and phosphate manufacturers.

Fluoride Added to Public Water Supplies

For a more in-depth look at the deceptions behind the start of mass water fluoridation, I encourage you to read the book The Fluoride Deception, by Christopher Bryson. The book describes how fluoridating water began in the mid 1940’s as a solution to fluoride pollution generated by the Atomic Bomb Program and the aluminum industry. The book talks about the real people and real events that lead to the start of mass water fluoridation.

Those in the public health field might tell you the fluoride added to tap water is safe because fluoride occurs naturally in water. But the fact is that the fluoride added to public water supplies is not organic fluoride at all but is really fluorosilicic acid, which is a toxic waste product purchased in bulk from chemical companies. According to ChemicalLand21.com, fluorosilicic acid’s other uses are:

• wood preservative
• sterilization of equipment
• electroplating
• tanning
• glass etching
• cement hardening
• oil acidizing
• rust removal in textile field
• lead refining

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to drink anything that can also harden cement!

Surely They Test The Fluoride Added to the Water, Right?

Wrong! From NaturalNews.com, industrial-grade fluoride added to the water supply has never been subjected to toxicological testing or FDA review for safety in human ingestion. Furthermore, when scientists study fluoride’s toxicity to humans, they study pharmaceutical grade fluoride (the same stuff used in antidepressant drugs), but NOT the fluoride compounds actually USED for water fluoridation (from Mercola.com).

Drugging the Entire Population

What would you think if a drug that is not approved by the FDA was dripped into the public water supply under the guise of its ‘health benefits’? From TheFluorideDebate.com:

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states that fluoride is not a mineral nutrient; it is a prescription drug. Every prescription drug has side-effects, including fluoride. Fluoride has never received FDA approval and does not meet the legal requirements of safety and effectiveness necessary for such approval. Once this drug is put in the water there is no control over individual dosage.

Paul Connett  PhD says water fluoridation is unethical because:

I encourage you to read the rest of that article on Mercola.com by Paul Connett: The Absurdities of Water Fluoridation.

Fluoride is the only chemical added to the water supply for a medical reason; the other chemicals are added for water purification.

Many European countries are banning fluoride supplements and fluoridation of water supplies, Canada is considering lowering levels. Even some U.S. Cities are questioning water fluoridation. According to statistics from the World Health Organization, the tooth decay rates of countries which do not fluoridate their water supplies are just as low, or even lower, than those countries which do.

Other Sources of Fluoride

From Mercola.com, other sources of fluoride that you want to limit or eliminate to reduce your exposure include:

• Fluorophenyl-containing pharmaceutical drugs
• Toothpaste and mouthwash
• Food and beverages processed with fluoridated water
• Mechanically de-boned meat
• Pesticide residue on food
• Soy baby formulas
• Instant tea

Also from Mercola.com:

Adding fluoride to the drinking water causes bioaccumulation in our cells, year after year. If fluoride is in the water, it’s everywhere:

• growing vegetables and fruit
• washing vegetables and fruit
• in the meat of animals who have drunk fluoridated water
• in toothpaste
• in canned foods
• in processed foods
• in soft drinks
• in beer

Mass Fluoridation is Based on Fraudulent Science

Mike Adams from NaturalNews.com has many great articles on the dangers of fluoride. In one, he talks about the fraudulent science behind mass fluoridation. I encourage you to read the entire article; it’s long but has so much good information in it. Here are a few of the main points:

• Fluorisilicic acid, which is added to public water supplies, is not fluoride but is a toxic waste byproduct purchased from chemical companies.
• If cities didn’t purchase fluorosilicic acid from chemical companies, those companies would have to spend millions of dollars disposing of this waste product because it is an EPA regulated toxic waste.
• It is regulated by the EPA because it is a health hazard to humans.
• There is no credible evidence that mass consumption of fluorisilicic acid improves dental health; any evidence cited by the EPA, the American Dental Association, and dentists has been fraudulently concocted.

From an article on WestonAPrice.org, in 1999 the Center for Disease Control (CDC) issued a report stating that the mass fluoridation of public water supplies was a great public health success. In that same report, they go on to admit the effects of fluoride are ‘topical’ rather than ’systemic’. How can they say fluoridating the public water is a health success while admitting that fluoride’s benefits are not obtained from drinking it?

Scientists Against Water Fluoridation

In an article on NaturalNews.com, the Fluoride Action Network states that many scientists, doctors, and other professionals have signed a petition to call for the end of water fluoridation. Some of the main points in the article include:

• Symptoms of fluoridation in the human population include an increase in the risk of bone fractures, decreased thyroid function, lowered IQ, arthritic-like conditions, dental fluorosis, and osteosarcoma.
• The PPM levels of fluoride present in the U.S. water supply are adequate to facilitate many of these symptoms in certain groups including children, diabetics, above-average water drinkers, and those with poor kidney function, among others.
• Fluoride works in a topical sense, not a systemic one. What this means is that any benefit against tooth decay by fluoride is derived from direct application to the teeth, not by ingesting the substance into the body where it has potentially toxic biological effects.
• Large studies have shown little difference in the prevalence of tooth decay between fluoridated and un-fluoridated areas.

If that information troubles you as much as it does me, you can also sign a message to Congress to end water fluoridation. (The link is from the Fluoride Action Network.)

How Fluoride Harms Your Body

Fluoride is not biodegradable and it accumulates in the body and bones resulting in a toxic or poisoning effect.

• Fluoride accumulates in fat cells.
• Fluoride damages your brain.
• Fluoride can affect hormonal systems and endocrine systems.
• Fluoride damages your thyroid gland.
• Fluoride accumulates in your bones increasing the risk of fracture. There is also a bone cancer/fluoride connection, as mentioned in two articles on Mercola.com. (Article 1, Article 2)
• Fluoride may contribute to early puberty.
• Fluoride increases the uptake of aluminum into the brain.
• Fluoride can negatively affect fertility.
• Fluoride is linked to arthritis, emphysema, and nervous system disorders like Alzheimer’s disease and attention deficit disorder (ADD).

From Mercola.com, fluoride is a systemic poison that:

• inactivates 62 different enzymes
• increases lead absorption
• increases the aging process
• increases the incidence of cancer and tumor growth
• disrupts your immune system
• lowers thyroid function
• causes genetic damage
• interrupts DNA repair-enzyme activity
• increases arthritis
• reduces IQ, and impairs learning and memory processes

There’s more. Also from Mercola.com, according to Paul Connett, PhD:

• Fluoride accumulates in your bones and makes them more brittle and prone to fracture. Lifetime exposure to fluoride will contribute to higher rates of hip fracture in the elderly.
• Fluoride accumulates in your pineal gland, possibly lowering the production of melatonin, a very important regulatory hormone.
• There are serious concerns about a connection between fluoridation and the current epidemics of both arthritis and hypothyroidism.
• In animal studies fluoride at 1 ppm in drinking water increases the uptake of aluminum into your brain.
• Counties with 3 ppm or more of fluoride in their water have lower fertility rates.
• The fluoridating agents most commonly used in the United States not only increase the uptake of lead into children’s blood but are also associated with an increase in violent behavior.

Fluoride Harms Babies and Fetuses

In an article on NaturalNews.com, medical pathologist and toxicologist Dr. Vyvyan Howard discusses the effects of toxic substances, like fluoride, on the development of fetuses and infants. He noted that the “very very low levels” of fluoride in human breast milk indicate nature’s way of keeping fluoride away from developing babies. Yet by giving babies tap water we are going around nature’s protection mechanism. (Yet another reason to breastfeed.)

In November 2006, the American Dental Association actually advised parents to avoid giving fluoridated water to babies.

For those of us who are genuinely concerned about our health, and especially the health of our little ones, removing fluoride from our drinking water is imperative.

What Can You Do Now?

• Use toothpaste and mouthwash that does not contain fluoride. Health food stores have many brands and I’ve seen some mainstream stores carry one or two brands in their natural section. You can also find some online. We use the Jason brand and like it; they have many varieties.
• Insist that your dentist not do fluoride treatments for you or your child. Insist they use plain pumice for cleaning teeth. Yes, it’s grainy but it is so much better than the fluoride-containing pumice.
• Do not drink tap water, or any water, containing fluoride. Get a reverse osmosis water filter for your kitchen sink and use it for drinking water, washing food, cooking, etc.
• Pass this information along to your friends and family.

How to Prevent Cavities, Tooth Decay, and Gum Disease Naturally

In an article on NaturalNews.com an interesting point is raised. What did people do before there was fluoride toothpaste and fluoride in the water? Here is an excerpt from that article:

Dr. Weston Price was one of history’s most amazing dentists. He studied many Indigenous people who never had any problems with rotting teeth until coming into contact with modern industrialization. They lived right into old age without any significant tooth decay. Yet when they began eating the standard diet of today, their teeth began to decay quite quickly.

This information leads us to some tips for the natural prevention of cavities, tooth decay, and gum disease. From NaturalNews.com:

• Avoid sugar and processed foods.
• Eliminate fruit juice and sodas.
• Drink adequate amounts of water.
• Brush and floss at least twice a day, especially after eating sweet foods.
• Brush with a toothpaste that contains casein, natural mint extract, and Xylitol.
• Consume large amounts of calcium-rich foods.
• Stay away from all refined sugars.
• Drink green and black tea. Frequent consumption of green tea or black tea reduces plaque build-up and also suppresses bacteria levels in the mouth. Do not add sweeteners, milk, or cream to the tea.
• Keep your toothbrush clean. The bacteria that are the main cause of cavities can grow on a toothbrush. A few times a week, disinfect your toothbrush by boiling it in saltwater for about a minute. Toothbrushes should be replaced every month.

Some Great Must-Read Articles

In addition to all the great articles I’ve linked to throughout this article, here are some more; I encourage you to read them all as they are filled with information you need to know.

• Fluoride Action Network Informational website about fluoride.
• Fluoride: Worse than We Thought on WestonAPrice.org
• The Fluoride Debate: A Response to the American Dental Association’s booklet “Fluoridation Facts”
• What Your Dentist Isn’t Telling You About Fluoride This is a list of fluoride links on Mercola.com.
• Is Fluoride Really as Safe as You Are Told? This three-part article on Mercola.com is long but full of great information that you must read.
• Why Tap Water Can Harm Your Kids on Mercola.com
• Top 20 Things That Are More Dangerous to Children than Lead Pain in Mattel Toys This article on NaturalNews.com lists fluoride in water as one of twenty dangerous things for children.

Let me ask you again – do you still think fluoride is healthy?

Being the (mostly) crunchy people we are, we seek out natural or alternative remedies for pretty much everything. Here are some of the solutions we’ve tried to help ease teething discomfort, and a few others we have heard about but not tried. (And the little ones are saying, “Discomfort my %^&! Teething bites!”)

1. Homeopathic Teething Tablets

In a nutshell, homeopathy is a natural approach to medicine that uses tiny amounts of substances to stimulate the body’s natural immune response. Homeopathy is safe and holistic and the amounts of medicine used are extremely dilute. We used Hyland’s Homeopathic teething tablets starting when our son started teething (about five months old). We noticed immediately that he calmed down. We always have a bottle in our refrigerator.

Tip: Even though the bottle says to take 1-3 tablets, you really only need to take one at a time. Extra ones have no benefit, besides going through the bottle faster.

For more information on homeopathy, you can go to Hyland’s website or this website I found: ABC Homeopathy.

2. Breast Milk Popsicles

Freeze breast milk in ice cube trays and then put a cube into a mesh feeder bag for the baby to chew on. Or put breast milk into popsicle molds to make popsicles! It’s cold, which feels good on the gums, and it tastes great!

3. Cold Wet Cloth

We kept a baby washcloth in a bowl of cold water in the fridge. When G needed some relief, we would give him the cold washcloth to chew on. He really liked that, although it did warm up fairly quickly. I’ve also heard about putting an ice cube in a wet washcloth and securing it with a rubber band. That would seem to help the coldness last longer.

Another spin on this option is to take a new baby sock and dip the foot part of the sock in water and then put the whole sock in the freezer. When baby needs relief, they can hold on to the top part of the sock as a handle and chew on the wet/frozen end for relief. Aaah!

4. Liquid Echinacea Extract

Our chiropractor recommend rubbing some liquid echinacea extract on G’s gums to help with teething pain, as it has a numbing effect. Just be sure to use only a good quality liquid echinacea extract. How can you tell if it’s good quality? Try it yourself. Put a few drops on your tongue. If it’s good quality, your tongue should feel numb. You can find liquid echinacea extract at your local health food store.

5. Frozen Apple Slice

Another option along the lines of ‘cold is good’ involves slicing apples and then freezing them. Let the baby/toddler chew on the frozen apple slice. I was always too paranoid about choking to let my little one chew on anything that could break off, so we never tried this method like that. I have some good friends who did this often with no problems, though.

What I did do was cut apple slices into smaller pieces and froze them. I then put the small frozen apple chunks into a mesh feeder bag, mentioned in method number two above.

6. Teething Necklaces

I have heard many amazing stories about two types of teething necklaces working wonders in helping little ones deal with teething pain. These necklaces work by touching the baby’s skin; be sure they are not allowed to chew on them.

• The first type of teething necklace is a Baltic amber teething necklace. The necklace needs to be touching the skin to release the natural analgesic oils. It also needs to be true baltic amber. There are so many kinds of amber and not all of them are even a real gem. (Sorry, no photo. There are many photos online.)

• The second type of teething necklace is a Tlismi Moti teething pendant (sometimes spelled tlismi moty). It is made from five metals and acts as a natural harmonizer of energies around the face and oral cavity. It is an ancient ayurvedic remedy that has helped countless babies in India teethe naturally. For better results, two tlismi moti pendants are recommended. Again, this needs to be worn against the baby’s skin preferably at the base of the throat.

G wearing his Tlismi Moti pendants

With these teething necklaces, one might wonder about the safety. Make sure the necklaces have breakaway clasps so that if any pressure is put on the necklace it will break open. Many parents leave the necklaces on all day and all night with no problems reported; however, I am not comfortable with that. Use these at your own comfort level. And of course, the child should be supervised while wearing the necklace. As always, ask your child’s doctor for their opinion. (I am not responsible. Read my disclaimer.)

7. Clove Oil

Cloves contain oils that have warming, numbing properties. Clove oil can be rubbed on sore gums to relieve pain. But only use a few drops as too much can upset your baby’s stomach.

8. Pure Vanilla Extract

Rubbing pure vanilla extract on the baby’s gums can help in a couple ways. The alcohol in vanilla creates a warm sensation that is temporarily comforting. And vanilla has calming properties itself, as it is known to reduce anxiety and help stomach distress.

9. Boiron Homeopathic Teething Relief

Another homeopathic option I found is Boiron Teething Relief. The main ingredient is Chamomilla. I’ve heard it works wonderfully! There are several individually dosed vials of the liquid. Simply open one and put into baby’s mouth. One place I found them online was here.

10. Cold Carrot

Another food option is to have the baby gnaw on a cold carrot. It’s cold, which feels good, and chances are they wont be able to break off a bit. Of course, I am too paranoid about choking to try this one but I know many people have.

Teething is a hard process for our little ones. Hopefully some of these solutions will provide relief for your baby, which should in turn provide relief for you.

Wendy - Parenting Tips 365