Fluoride - to be or not to be that is the Question?

When I asked my Pediatrician about the safety of ingesting fluoride, I got the American Academy of Pediatrists speech... bla bla bla. More medical rhetoric that has been funded by some chemical or Pharma company.

Something in my gut tells me DO NOT ingest Fluroide. Im not a medical professional nor do I pretend to know all when it come to my children's health. But lately I am really pissed about all of the crap doctors throw down our throats because 'it is better for us'. Look at the recent studies with tylenol and it causing tens of thousands of people to have liver damage/failure every year! Yea that is safe...

Personally, I do not believe in systemic fluoride for me and my family. And I think people should be able to make their own choice about it. I am lucky enough to live in a town that does not put fluoride in our water. Also, I have never used fluoride products for myself or my family. I ask you 'read this article' fuel your mind with information and then make your decision if you want your town to put Fluoride in your water, or if you want to take fluoride vitamins:

If you are looking for fluoride free products, I highly recommend what I use: toothpaste, http://www.shaklee.net/anastasia/product/31780 and the vitamins my children take are a variety of Shaklee supplements proven safe for more than 50 years! http://www.shaklee.net/anastasia/product/ChildrensHealth

Fluoride study raises fresh questions about water fluoridation safety

Excerpted from KABC News Los Angeles new report June 3, 2009

A new cancer study from India suggests that fluoride is a contributing factor to osteosarcoma, or bone cancer - but just how much fluoride intake causes the disease is not clear.

Fluoride in Americans’ tap water has spurred controversy since its introduction in 1945. Anti-fluoride activists say the risks are too high to add “medication” to the water, while government officials cite studies that prove fewer cavities and no serious risk. In Europe, most countries refuse to treat their water with fluoride with the exception of the United Kingdom. According to the British Medical Journal, fluoridation was introduced in 1963, and the Department of Health reports that rates of dental decay have been reduced 70 percent.

But experts remain divided over epidemiological research that has suggested that water fluoridation might be linked to osteoporosis, dental fluorosis, irritable bowel syndrome, and other health problems. The latest cancer study indicates blood fluoride levels were significantly higher in patients with osteosarcoma than in control groups, according to research published in Biological Trace Element Research (April 2009).

Osteosarcoma occurs mostly in children and young adults. According to the study, status of fluoride levels in the serum of osteosarcoma is still not clear. Other reports have also indicated that there is a link between fluoride exposure and osteosarcoma. “The more studies that we have which talk about osteosarcoma with fluoride, the more the scientific community will take notice and eventually blind politicians will do the same,” said Paul Beeber, president of the New York State Coalition Opposed to Fluoridation.

Over 405 million people in approximately 60 countries drink water with added fluoride. While those drinking “optimally” fluoridated water have seen tooth decay rates decline, questions remain about other impacts of fluoride in the body.

In addition to fluoride in tap water and toothpaste (which is not supposed to be ingested), the element can be found in a number of beverages and food. The United States Department of Agriculture maintains a fluoride database. Fluoride can also be found in food and vegetables grown in fluoridated areas as well as tea, sodas and bone meal. Boiling fluoridated tap water increases the amount of fluoride in the water.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set a “maximum contaminant level” of 4ppm of fluoride in drinking water. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends a range in the drinking water of 0.7 to 1.2 ppm fluoride as the optimal amount to prevent tooth decay and minimize fluorosis. The range was developed based on average fluid consumption in regions of various ambient air temperature (i.e. lower fluoride range in hot areas where you would expect higher fluid consumption and higher fluoride range in colder climates.)

However, CDC scientists note it’s a complex issue. They are currently re-examining the fluid consumption assumptions because outdoor activity has decreased, indoor air temperature control is prevalent and there is widespread consumption of fluids other than water.

But scientists do agree that too much fluoride is dangerous and can cause fluorosis — a condition that causes staining and pitting of the enamel surface of teeth when small children get too much fluoride.

A 2007 recommendation from the American Dental Association urged parents not to use fluoridated tap water to mix infant formula. Researchers say the amount of fluoride in safe tap water is still too much for an infant when ingested as the primary source of nutrition. The child may develop very mild or mild fluorosis, according to the ADA.

For those who decide to avoid fluoride, the Fluoride Action Network offers these tips:

• WATER FILTERS: Use the proper water filter. The two types of filters which will reliably remove more than 90% of the fluoride are reverse-osmosis filters and activated alumina filters. (Note: Most filters unfortunately do not remove fluoride due to its small particle size. When purchasing a filter for the tap or for your refrigerator, ask to see the manufacturer’s spec sheet to confirm what the filter will remove.)
• SPRING WATER: Another way to avoid fluoride from the tap is to drink spring water. Most spring water has less than 0.1 ppm fluoride. (Note: Again, check the label or contact the company to confirm fluoride levels.)
• WATER DISTILLATION: A third way to avoid fluoride from the tap is to distill the water with a distillation unit.
• TOOTHPASTE: Consider switching to a non-fluoridated alternative. (Note: My favorite toothpaste, which I have used for 21 years, is Shaklee’s New Concept Dentifrice Spearmint.)
• DRINKS: Minimize consumption of processed beverages such as soda and reconstituted juice which are often manufactured with fluoridated tap water. If you regularly drink wine or grape juice, consider buying only organic varieties. Many commercially-grown grapes in the U.S. are sprayed with a fluoride pesticide called Cryolite. Be careful of drinking too much green or black tea. Tea almost always has elevated levels of fluoride - natural and otherwise.
• FOOD: Minimize consumption of mechanically-deboned chicken, such as nuggets. The meat includes ground bone particles which are high in fluoride.
• MEDICINE/PRESCRIPTION VITAMINS: Check to see if any prescription medicines or prescription vitamin formulas you are taking contain fluorine. (Note: if you choose to give your child a synthetic vitamin with fluoride such as Poly-Vi-Flor , Tri-Vi-Flor or any other that requires a prescription from your pediatrician, make sure to know the amount of fluoride in your water and the amount in your toothpaste and share that information with the doctor as too much is unsafe. If you want a non-fluoride children's supplement, consider Shakleebaby Multivitamin/Multimineral Powder andShakleekids Incredivites)

To read more on this topic, visit the "Green Living" section at KABC-TV Los Angeles online.

To receive information from me on any of the Shaklee products referenced in my notes, please contact me for the online product link and/or product talk sheet.

Anastasia