Overview
The addition of fluoride to water for the purpose of preventing tooth decay began in the 1940s on the mistaken premise that fluoride needs to be swallowed to be effective. As researchers have since shown, the fluoride’s benefit comes primarily from topical application, not ingestion. There is no need, therefore, to ever swallow fluoride. While fluoridation advocates now claim that fluoridated water provides an effective topical application to teeth, current data shows no meaningful difference in tooth decay between areas with, and without, fluoridated water.
in this section:
- Topical vs. Systemic Effects: Learn why dental researchers now overwhelmingly agree that fluoride’s primary benefit to teeth comes from topical contact, not ingestion.
- Tooth Decay in F vs. NF Countries: See World Health Organization data showing tooth decay rates have declined at the same steep rate in non-fluoridated countries, as they have in fluoridated countries.
- Modern Fluoridation Studies: Learn 7 quick facts about modern fluoridation studies, including the results of the largest dental health survey ever conducted in the U.S., and the ongoing NIH-funded multimillion dollar study on the relationship between total fluoride intake and tooth decay.
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New Review - “Dental Fluorosis increases caries risk”
The increased risk for cavities began to appear when the severity of fluorosis reached a rating of 3 on the Thylstrup-Fejerskov (TF) scale. A rating of 3 on the TF scale is roughly the equivalent of a light case of “moderate” fluorosis on the Dean scale.
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New study challenges old belief on dental fluorosis/tooth decay
A new study (1), published in the October issue of Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology, has cast yet further doubt on one of the long-standing beliefs in fluoride research. The study, which examined tooth decay and dental fluorosis rates in two areas of Ethiopia, found that as the severity of dental fluorosis increased, so too did the rate of tooth decay.
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The Absurdities of Water Fluoridation
[caption id="attachment_10205" align="alignleft" width="190"] Paul Connett, PhD[/caption] Water fluoridation is a peculiarly American phenomenon. It started at a time when Asbestos lined our pipes, lead was added to gasoline, PCBs filled our transformers and DDT was deemed so "safe and effective" that officials felt no qualms spraying kids in school classrooms
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Recent Trends in Dental Caries in U.S. Children and the Effect of Water Fluoridation
This study presents the DMFS results of the National Institute of Dental Research's 1986-87 national survey of tooth decay in the United States. Among 5-17 year old children, it found an average difference of 0.6 DMFS between children living in fluoridated vs. unfluoridated areas. Although the authors don't mention it, 0.6 DMFS represents less than 1% of the number tooth surfaces in a child's mouth.
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The Mystery of Declining Tooth Decay
Large temporal reductions in tooth decay, which cannot be attributed to fluoridation, have been observed in both unfluoridated and fluoridated areas of at least eight developed countries over the past thirty years. It is now time for a scientific re-examination of the alleged enormous benefits of fluoridation.
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NIDR's National Survey of Oral Health in the U.S. (1986-87)
In the 1986-87, the National Institute of Dental Research (NIDR) conducted the largest ever study of childhood dental health in the United States. The study examined the teeth of 39,207 schoolchildren from 84 communities across the country, including communities that fluoridate water and communities that do not. The results of the study were
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Countries that Fluoridate Their Water
Quick Facts: Most developed nations do not fluoridate their water. In western Europe, for example, only 3% of the population consumes fluoridated water. While 25 countries have water fluoridation programs, 11 of these countries have less than 20% of their population consuming fluoridated water: Argentina (19%), Guatemala (13%), Panama (15%), Papa New Guinea
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More Discussion on Brunelle & Carlos
We have received several responses to IFIN #290 on the very meager benefits demonstrated in the largest survey ever conducted on tooth decay in the US (Brunelle and Carlos, 1990). 1) Cory Mermer points out that 0.6 tooth surfaces out of 128 is actually less than 0.5% not just "less than
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Fluoride Content of Bottled Water
As with other fresh water supplies (e.g., spring water, lake water, river water), bottled waters have low levels of fluoride. Fresh surface water contains an average of just 0.05 ppm. To put this in perspective, artificially fluoridated water (using industrial-grade fluoride chemicals) contains 0.7 to 1.2 ppm fluoride, which is 14 to
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