Peninsula Daily News 1-28-07

FLUORIDE
STIFF, PAINFULL JOINTS?

Fluoride accumulating in bones and joints over a lifetime promotes the growth of bone forming cells and skeletal fluorosis. At fluorosis, stage II this means :"chronic joint pain, arthritic symptoms, slightly calcified ligaments, increased osteosclerosis/cancellous bones, and possibly osteoporosis of long bones." (p 295) Crippling occurs at stage III.

In 1984 the Surgeon General concluded that stage II fluorosis is not an adverse health effect and that crippling skeletal fluorosis was the most relevant adverse health effect when considering exposure to fluoride from public drinking water supplies. EPA set a standard allowing fluoride concentration in water to be 4 mg/L on this basis. (p.14) 

"Existing epidemiologic evidence is insufficient to determine whether stage II skeletal fluorosis is occurring in U.S. residents ". The National Research Council committee in 2006 recommended lowering the maximum allowable water concentration for fluoride to protect against stage II skeletal fluorosis, dental fluorosis ,and increased risk of bone fractures. (pp 295-296)

Peninsula Daily News 1-21-07

FLUORIDE
GIVES YOU A BREAK?

Fluoride is readily incorporated into the crystalline structure of bone and accumulates over time. (Ref. 1 p.4) "The weight of evidence indicates that, although fluoride might increase bone volume there is less strength per unit volume.…". ( Ref.1 p.5-6, 107-109)

On drinking water studies: National Research Council calls for more study, but "The best available study, from Finland, suggested an increased rate of hip fracture in populations exposed to fluoride at concentrations above 1.5 mg/L " . (Ref.1 p.6) Finland stopped all water fluoridation in 1992. Port Angeles drinking water at 0.8-1.3 mg/L fluoride, provides about one mg. fluoride per quart.

Increased risk of bone fractures, led the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry ("ATSDR") to place a Minimum Risk Level for chronic oral dose of fluoride at 0.05 mg/kg/ day. (Ref.2) For children under 5, toothpaste and background food contribute half of this amount. (Ref #1 p 46-48).This means many need fluoride free water.

Ref.#1: National Research Council , Fluoride in Drinking Water: A Scientific Review of EPA's Standards, 2006.
nap.edu/catalog/11571
Ref. #2: U. S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry: Toxicological Profile for Fluorides, Hydrogen Fluoride, and Fluorine. Sept., 2003. p 255

Peninsula Daily News 1-14-07

FLUORIDE
EFFECTS ON DIABETICS

The National Research Council's 2006 Report to EPA on drinking water fluoridation finds: "….sufficient fluoride exposure appears to bring about increases in blood glucose or impaired glucose tolerance in some individuals and to increase the severity of some types of diabetes…." . (p. 217)

"…In addition, diabetic individuals will often have higher than normal water intake, and consequently will have higher than normal fluoride intake for a given concentration of fluoride in drinking water. An estimated 16-20 million people in the U.S. have diabetes mellitus….". (p. 217)

Ref.: Fluoride in Drinking Water: A Scienrific Review of EPA's Standards.
www.nap.edu/catalog/11571

Peninsula Daily News 1-7-07

FLUORIDE
MAKES YOU FAT?

Don't laugh! Fluoride poisons enzymes that regulate many hormones, including your thyroid (Ref. pp. 192-198).

"The chief endocrine effects of fluoride exposures in experimental animals and in humans include decreased thyroid function…" ( p7). This makes you burn fewer calories ,so you store more fat.

Decreased thyroid function, even when very mild,("sub-clinical") , is associated with increased blood cholesterol, increased risk of heart disease, depression,' cognitive dysfunction', and, in pregnant women, decreased IQ of their offspring (p.198).

Even doses of fluoride well below those in P.A. drinking water are thought to lower thyroid function. (p.193)

Ref.1. Fluoride in Drinking Water: A Scienrific Review of EPA's Standards. www.nap.edu/catalog/11571

Thanks to National Research Council's publication last March, of "Fluoride in Drinking Water: A Scientific Review of EPA's Standards", (Ref.1), first the Federal Food and Drug Administration (Ref.2) and the American Dental Association (ADA) issued warnings that infants should avoid fluoridated water.

Then the ADA on Nov. 9th stated that only water free of or very low in fluoride should be used to prepare formula for infants and said that breast milk is the most complete form of nutrition for infants. (Ref.3)

Breast milk contains only about 1/100 the fluoride now in city water. Ref.#1 p. 27-33)

Scientists suspect fluoride puts babies and small children at increased risk for bone fractures and for forming abnormal tooth enamel (fluorosis). ( REf.#1,p.69-70)

Ref.1 www.nap.edu/catalog/11571

Ref.2 USFDA/CFSAN--Health claim Notification 10/31/06.
Ref.3 ADA.org

Some children developed fluorosis even at the lowest water fluoride concentrations reported (0.4 mg/L), (Ref. 2 ,p 65)

Severity ranges from mild discoloration to severe staining and pitting. It is estimated that approximately 2% of U.S. schoolchildren might experience perceived aesthetic problems from exposure to fluoride at levels used in Port Angeles' water. (Ref.2, p 98)

"The council concluded that the cosmetic effects of enamel fluorosis could lead to psychological and behavioral problems that affect the overall well-being of the individual:" (p 14)

"Treatments include bleaching, microabrasion, and the application of veneers or crowns….Crowns are usually used as a last resort because they can be a threat to tooth vitality." (Ref.2 p.88)

(Ref. 1 :Pg. 19 Environmental Checklist City of P.A., Municipal Water Fluoridation, 3/9/04)
Ref. 2 National Research Council ,Fluoride in Drinking Water: A Scientific Review of EPA's Standards. www.nap.edu/catalog/11571.html 2006

FLUORIDE
NEW LIMITS
NEEDED

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets standards for contaminants in public water. The Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG) is the concentration at which no adverse health effects are expected to occur.(p.1)

In 1986, EPA set both the unenforceable MCLG and an enforceable MCL for fluoride at a concentration of 4 milligrams per liter (mg/L) or 4 parts per million.(p.1) In March, 2006 scientists convened by the National Research Council reported unanimously that the present MCLG should be lowered.(p,2)

"Lowering the MCLG will prevent children from developing severe enamel fluorosis and will reduce the lifetime accumulation of fluoride into bone that the majority of the committee concluded is likely to put individuals at increased risk of bone fracture and possibly skeletal fluorosis." (p 299) "With more severe forms of fluorosis, caries risk increases because of pitting and loss of the outer enamel." ( p.87)

Ref.:Fluoride in Drinking Water: A Scientific Review of EPA's Standards, National Research Council, March 2006.