Flouride: More Is NOT Better
Earlier today, I was asked about my thoughts on the toxic claims against flouride; and, I will say, for as good as it appears to be, there are as many, if not more, reports as to why we should not be adding it to anything at all. With this said, I offer my professional perspective because I do see both sides of the story.
Flouride is any combination of elements containing the flouride ion. In it's natural state, flourine is a pale yellow, highly toxic and corrosive gas. It's the most chemically active non-metallic element as well as the most reactive electro-negative ion. Because of this highly reactive nature, flourine is not found in nature as an uncombined element which is why flouride minerals are found in naturally low concentrations in ground water and foods; so, what are the reasons for adding it to our drinking water, toothpastes and dental visits?
In 1901, it was discovered that many people from the Colorado Springs area were noted to have a brownish mottling on their teeth (flourosis). This condition was studied for several years by researchers and said to be the result of chronic overexposure to flouride. On the other hand, these people also had a much lower rate of decay linking the relationship between flouride and acid-resistant enamel. With this information, flouridation of our drinking water began in the late 1940's and was touted as being one of the greatest contributions to healthcare. With continued studies, it was also determined that flouride could inhibit the baceria in plaque known to cause gum disease, recurrent decay around crowns, bridges, and orthodontic appliances as well as implant failure. All in all, flouride was initially put into place to assist those who couldn't afford to visit the dentist on a regular basis. As years passed, it beca,e an inexpensive additive to protect our oral investments.
Fast forward 60 plus years from our official introduction and we have studies poking holes in this supplementation. We now know the ingestion of flouride can lead to cancer, potential genetic mutations, renal and gastrointestinal issues as well as joint pain and more. Without a doubt, the studies continue.
What it all comes down to is an attempt to help those in need. For centuries, it was the upper class that could afford a greater range of dental treatments. Everyone else was left to deal with their prevention, pain, discomfort and loss as it came. In 2011, more and more people are struggling to receive anything other than emergency treatment so flouride in our drinking water and toothpaste makes sense!?
Is periodontal (gum) disease a problem? Yes. Nearly 75% of the population (according to the American Academy of Periodontolgy) has some form of gum disease. It's difficult to guage the number of adults with decay; however, based on what I've seen in the dental office, approximately 90% of adult patients have some form of decay; typically recurring around existing restortions. According to the CDC, anywhere from one-half to two-thirds of children and adolescents are diagnosed with cavities. Oral cancer is another growing problem that is NOT prevented with flouride. Which brings me to an interesting point. These statistics are considerably high given the governments efforts to assist us by adding it to our water supply, etc which supports the hypothesis ... more flouride IS NOT better. Not even more education will do. What we need more of is personal responsibility for our own health.
As it was centuries ago, dental visits were primarily for problem solving, not prevention. Today's dental offices are definitely equipped to assist us with preventing further problems; however, the real prevention begins at home. Knowing what devices / tools to use as well as proper habits will help us more with good oral health than anything systematically added.
Consider the following:
1) smoking cessation ~ smoking contributes to gum disease and oral cancer
2) monogamy ~ that's right, I'm talking about sex. Healthy sex practices with one partner protects you from oral cancer which is on the rise in teenagers!!! Enough said about that......
3) brushing & flossing ~ you don't need toothpaste (my apologies to the manufacturers); although, it does assist with getting kids (& many adults) to brush their teeth. The primary action of brushing disturbs and removes the plaque disrupting the placement of acidic waste leading to decay and gum disease.
4) waterpiks and sonicares ~ fabulous accessories that assist us with those harder to reach areas in the mouth
5) low sugar diets OR brush your teeth prior to eating anything sugary ~ the bacteria in plaque feeds on the sugar which leads to the acidic waste. Remove the plaque and you've eliminated the waste (no pun intended)
6) eat your fruits and veggies ~ boost your anti-oxidant level which protects you from many diseases not just gum disease
7) low fat dairy and dark greens for calcium and vitamin D (the dairy)
8) lean meats, poultry, beans, nuts and seeds provide protein, iron, magnesium and zinc (very effective with boosting our immune system)
9) sunshine ~ recharges are system and boosts our vitamin D levels
10) food based supplements (otherwise know as nutraceuticals) ~ again, high in anti-oxidants amongst other things PLUS when they are complete nutrients, our bodies are better equipped to use them (another article)
11) drink plenty of water ~ keeps our saliva thin and flowing as well as keeps our mouths moist which protects us from decay. The older we get the more prone we are to dry mouth. If you suffer from dry mouth, please seek your doctor's assistance.
As I mentioned earlier, flouride minerals naturally occur in our ground water. We have ways of protecting ourselves and keeping ourselves healthy. Our kidneys only remove 50% of the flouride from our bodes....I believe we're covered when it comes to flouride supplementation. It's now time to reassess outdated decisions. Having said this, flouride is what reduces the demineralization of enamel and supports the remineralization. Introducing it into our water system and other products certainly seemed like a good idea at the time in addition to being cost effective. Unfortunately, statistics show the opposite. Far too many people are faced with dental decay and gum disease! I guess the argument could be: where would 'we' be if it wasn't there? My response is train the public to be more proactive. We are on flouride overload and it's now causing more harm than good. What's it going to take to wrap our heads around the concept, less is more?
Holistic approaches offer an empowering full system proactive offense to protecting our entire body and it all begins in the mouth.....
Flouride is any combination of elements containing the flouride ion. In it's natural state, flourine is a pale yellow, highly toxic and corrosive gas. It's the most chemically active non-metallic element as well as the most reactive electro-negative ion. Because of this highly reactive nature, flourine is not found in nature as an uncombined element which is why flouride minerals are found in naturally low concentrations in ground water and foods; so, what are the reasons for adding it to our drinking water, toothpastes and dental visits?
In 1901, it was discovered that many people from the Colorado Springs area were noted to have a brownish mottling on their teeth (flourosis). This condition was studied for several years by researchers and said to be the result of chronic overexposure to flouride. On the other hand, these people also had a much lower rate of decay linking the relationship between flouride and acid-resistant enamel. With this information, flouridation of our drinking water began in the late 1940's and was touted as being one of the greatest contributions to healthcare. With continued studies, it was also determined that flouride could inhibit the baceria in plaque known to cause gum disease, recurrent decay around crowns, bridges, and orthodontic appliances as well as implant failure. All in all, flouride was initially put into place to assist those who couldn't afford to visit the dentist on a regular basis. As years passed, it beca,e an inexpensive additive to protect our oral investments.
Fast forward 60 plus years from our official introduction and we have studies poking holes in this supplementation. We now know the ingestion of flouride can lead to cancer, potential genetic mutations, renal and gastrointestinal issues as well as joint pain and more. Without a doubt, the studies continue.
What it all comes down to is an attempt to help those in need. For centuries, it was the upper class that could afford a greater range of dental treatments. Everyone else was left to deal with their prevention, pain, discomfort and loss as it came. In 2011, more and more people are struggling to receive anything other than emergency treatment so flouride in our drinking water and toothpaste makes sense!?
Is periodontal (gum) disease a problem? Yes. Nearly 75% of the population (according to the American Academy of Periodontolgy) has some form of gum disease. It's difficult to guage the number of adults with decay; however, based on what I've seen in the dental office, approximately 90% of adult patients have some form of decay; typically recurring around existing restortions. According to the CDC, anywhere from one-half to two-thirds of children and adolescents are diagnosed with cavities. Oral cancer is another growing problem that is NOT prevented with flouride. Which brings me to an interesting point. These statistics are considerably high given the governments efforts to assist us by adding it to our water supply, etc which supports the hypothesis ... more flouride IS NOT better. Not even more education will do. What we need more of is personal responsibility for our own health.
As it was centuries ago, dental visits were primarily for problem solving, not prevention. Today's dental offices are definitely equipped to assist us with preventing further problems; however, the real prevention begins at home. Knowing what devices / tools to use as well as proper habits will help us more with good oral health than anything systematically added.
Consider the following:
1) smoking cessation ~ smoking contributes to gum disease and oral cancer
2) monogamy ~ that's right, I'm talking about sex. Healthy sex practices with one partner protects you from oral cancer which is on the rise in teenagers!!! Enough said about that......
3) brushing & flossing ~ you don't need toothpaste (my apologies to the manufacturers); although, it does assist with getting kids (& many adults) to brush their teeth. The primary action of brushing disturbs and removes the plaque disrupting the placement of acidic waste leading to decay and gum disease.
4) waterpiks and sonicares ~ fabulous accessories that assist us with those harder to reach areas in the mouth
5) low sugar diets OR brush your teeth prior to eating anything sugary ~ the bacteria in plaque feeds on the sugar which leads to the acidic waste. Remove the plaque and you've eliminated the waste (no pun intended)
6) eat your fruits and veggies ~ boost your anti-oxidant level which protects you from many diseases not just gum disease
7) low fat dairy and dark greens for calcium and vitamin D (the dairy)
8) lean meats, poultry, beans, nuts and seeds provide protein, iron, magnesium and zinc (very effective with boosting our immune system)
9) sunshine ~ recharges are system and boosts our vitamin D levels
10) food based supplements (otherwise know as nutraceuticals) ~ again, high in anti-oxidants amongst other things PLUS when they are complete nutrients, our bodies are better equipped to use them (another article)
11) drink plenty of water ~ keeps our saliva thin and flowing as well as keeps our mouths moist which protects us from decay. The older we get the more prone we are to dry mouth. If you suffer from dry mouth, please seek your doctor's assistance.
As I mentioned earlier, flouride minerals naturally occur in our ground water. We have ways of protecting ourselves and keeping ourselves healthy. Our kidneys only remove 50% of the flouride from our bodes....I believe we're covered when it comes to flouride supplementation. It's now time to reassess outdated decisions. Having said this, flouride is what reduces the demineralization of enamel and supports the remineralization. Introducing it into our water system and other products certainly seemed like a good idea at the time in addition to being cost effective. Unfortunately, statistics show the opposite. Far too many people are faced with dental decay and gum disease! I guess the argument could be: where would 'we' be if it wasn't there? My response is train the public to be more proactive. We are on flouride overload and it's now causing more harm than good. What's it going to take to wrap our heads around the concept, less is more?
Holistic approaches offer an empowering full system proactive offense to protecting our entire body and it all begins in the mouth.....
