The Pros And Cons Of Fluoridation Of Water

Another issue of controversy is the safety of the chemicals used to fluoridate water. The most commonly used additives are silicofluorides, not the fluoride salts used in dental products (such as sodium fluoride and stannous fluoride). Silicofluorides are one of the by-products from the manufacture of phosphate fertilizers. The toxicity database on silicofluorides is sparse and questions have been raised about the assumption that they completely dissociate in water and, therefore, have toxicity similar to the fluoride salts tested in laboratory studies and used in consumer products (Coplan and Masters 2001). It also has been maintained that, because of individual variations in exposure to fluoride, it is difficult to ensure that the right individual dose to protect against dental caries is provided through large-scale water fluoridation. In addition, a body of information has developed that indicates the major anticaries benefit of fluoride is topical and not systemic (Zero et al. 1992; Rölla and Ekstrand 1996; Featherstone 1999; Limeback 1999a; Clarkson and McLoughlin 2000; CDC 2001; Fejerskov

Fluoride in drinking water has been a hot topic in the past decade. Some communities are all for it and some are completely against it. With such a range of opinions on the matter some organizations have took it upon themselves to present the pros and cons of the fluoride to the public so they can make informed decisions. Often times these surveys are bias to one side or the other, so I shall be giving information on both sides of the issue, the future outlook, and my personal opinion in order to help inform you to decide on your own.

Fluoridation of group drinking water is a main consideration in charge of the decrease in dental caries (tooth rot) . The historical backdrop of water fluoridation is a great case of clinical perception prompting epidemiologic examination and group based general wellbeing intercession. Albeit other fluoride-containing items are accessible, water fluoridation remains the most fair and practical strategy for conveying fluoride to all individuals from most groups, paying little respect to age, instructive achievement, or wage level.

Fluoride has been used by people for many decades. The most common use is in toothpaste. Fluoride was added to toothpaste to lower the amount of dental cavities that one gets, and works by protecting the enamel (outer hard layer over the tooth). Another use of fluoride is in drinking water. It was added to drinking water to also help with tooth decay. Many people are debating whether or not this is truly safe. In the essay, “The Fluoride Conspiracy”, by Laurie Higgs, she talks about the use of fluoride drinking waters and dangers it brings by using logos, pathos, and ethos.

Few object to the therapeutic use of fluoride to stop tooth decay, but fluoridation, the addition of fluoride to the public water supply, can spark avid controversy. Most dentists, medical groups, and government officials argue that fluoridation is a cheap and risk-free venture that doubles cavity prevention. In contrast, a small minority of dentists and conservative political groups argue that fluoride is a hazardous, poisonous substance that should not be consumed. Some antifluoridationists even claim that fluoridation is an untrustworthy form of socialized medicine. But rather than just attacking fluoridation as socialized medicine, opponents originally claimed that it was a conspiracy to poison or brainwash Americans through

According to World Health Organization data obtained from a study on 12 year old’s levels of tooth decay, fluoride has had very little effect, if any at all, on tooth decay. Countries such as Japan, Italy, and Iceland, who are non-fluoridated countries, actually have about the same level of tooth decay decrease as countries that have fluoridated water. Fluoride is considered a drug, according to the FDA, which means that it is a medical treatment. Medical treatments are not to be given unless the patient agrees to the treatment, therefore, placing fluoride into the public water supply violates informed consent seeing as how citizens are not given the opportunity to vote on the matter. Even if people could vote on the situation, not all people are going to agree with and since it is considered a drug, it

Fluoridation of drinking water addresses the health issue of tooth decay and the related dental problems associated with it.1 Fluoride is associated with this health issue since fluoride has been recognized as an important nutrient for healthy teeth.1

Are you aware that fluoride that is used to help keep teeth healthy is actually a harmful compound. The number of products that contain fluoride is actually quite high. Many people may not know it is also in our drinking water. The scary thing is fluoride is now classified as a neurotoxin.

population that are on public water systems have access to fluoridated water. In order to truly make a change and improve the overall oral health of American citizens, each state needs to raise this number to 100%. The CDC estimates that the return investment for community water fluoridation, including productivity losses, ranged from $4 in small communities of 5,000 people or less, to $27 in large communities of 200,000 people or more. Nearly everyone would enjoy the benefits of the community water fluoridation which include having to deal with fewer cavities that are less severe, less need for fillings, and a greater chance for teeth not reaching such an unhealthy state that they need to be removed. It’s no wonder why community water fluoridation is recommended by the American Dental Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, US Public Health Service, and World Health

Fluoridation of drinking water serving communities of more than 5000 people is now the law. The anti-fluoridation advocates, continue to as they have done in the past, fight fluoridation tooth and nail. This is an ongoing conflict.

Water fluoridation came about in 1945 when Grand Rapids, Michigan came to be the first foremost town in the world whose water was artificially fluoridated. The lead up of fluoridation of water started in 1901, when dentist Dr. Frederick McKay discovered the natives of Colorado had brown stains covering their teeth. In 1902, Dr. J.M. Eager also became aware of a similar condition in Naples. Over the next few years, McKay came to learn of multiple cases suggesting that the water supply may be accountable for the discolouration.

There is a great deal of debate about the effectiveness and the safety of fluoride, especially in the form of water fluoridation. The purpose of this paper is to provide us with information needed to make an informed decision about fluoride. Fluoridation is the addition of small amounts of fluoride to public water supplies. It is a kind of mass medication and the only chemical added to water in measures over that of naturally occurring water. Actually, fluoride is a chemical element that has shown to cause significant effect on human health through drinking water. In small amount this chemical does not have any significant negative effects on our body, but over consumption of it is poisonous and in severe cases can prove deadly. Some countries

Fluoride is a natural occurring element found abundantly in the Earth’s crust. It is widely distributed in the lithosphere and is the 13th most common element in the earth’s crust (Lennon et al., 2004, pg. 2). It is found in seawater at a concentrations between 1.2–1.4 mg/L, in groundwater at concentrations up to 67 mg/L, and in most surface waters at concentrations below 0.1 mg/L (IPCS, 2002). While all foods contain traces of fluoride, water and non-dairy beverages are the main sources of ingested fluoride; concentrations of fluoride in public drinking water accounts for 66 to 80% of fluoride intake in the United States (IPCS, 2002).

Fluorine is added in water in certain countries and used in toothpaste so that it can strengthen people’s teeth.

iii. The Story of Fluoridation states, “In 1945, Grand Rapids became the first city in the world to fluoridate its drinking water” after it was discovered that fluoride could help reduce the rate of tooth decay and cavities. This program would be the first step in fluoridating most of America 's tap water.