Is Flouride in drinking water dangerous?

Question

Why would we put industrial waste from making Aluminum in our water supply and claim it has health benefits, i.e. prevents cavities? If the benefits are so great then why don't countries other than the United States and Canada do this?

no, respondent #1 that's what chlorine does. And that my friend, is a different story entirely.

respondent #2, I already have a filter, thus I'm not worry about it.

*worried* correction.

Respondent #2, I only know about what they do in North America and Europe.

Chocahoma: If that's the case, Why don't Western Europeans put fluoride in their water supply; they have the money.

Answer 1

I don't agree with mass fluoridation at all.

To start off, fluoride is a TOPICAL treatment, meaning that it was never meant to be ingested to begin with. Would you swallow skin cream in order to make your skin softer? Probably not.

If you think about it, when the dentist gives in-office fluoride treatments, the patient gargles for about a minute, then spits it back out. When you use toothpaste or mouthwash containing fluoride at home, you always spit it back out. As a matter of fact, it says right on the tube or bottle... DO NOT SWALLOW. Interesting.

Yes, natural mineral fluoride, when in contact with the tooth enamel, helps improve its resistance to cavities. But the brief amount of time that the fluoridated water is actually in contact with your teeth is nowhere near long enough to justify its addidtion to our water supply. When's the last time you took a swig of good old tap water and swished it around in your mouth for thirty seconds?

However, the substance added to the water supply is actually something called fluorosilicic acid, which is purchased in bulk from chemical companies. Fluorosilicic acid is very different from flouride; as a matter of fact, it is an EPA-regulated toxic waste. Which means, that while it's illegal to take a bucket of fluorosilicic acid and dump it into a river or stream, it's perfectly legal to sell it to cities with the intention of eventual human ingestion. And once it leaves the human body as waste, it often ends up in the rivers and streams anyway.

And even more interesting, fluorosilicic acid is a substance that chemical companies would typically have to PAY quite a bit of money to have it disposed of as an environmental hazard. But instead, they're making money on it because it's being called a public health policy. Lunacy.

At any rate, enough about the politics for a bit. You asked if drinking fluorosilicic acid is dangerous. I believe wholeheartedly that it is. Consider for a moment that almost any sort of medication sold in stores has a dosage requirement. Adults and children over twelve are allowed to ingest so much daily, for example. There is, however, no dosage regulation on fluorosilicic acid. A six-year old who regularly drinks water is ingesting a vast amount of fluorosilicic acid, compared to a forty-year old man who only drinks Coke.

Not everyone has need for, or can handle, the same amount of fluoride in their body. Over-fluoridation of the teeth, manifesting itself as the mottled-white stains you see so often, is referred to as "fluoridosis." Excessive fluoride consumption has been linked to brittle bones, Alzheimer's, and a number of neurological and behavioral disorders. It is a forced medication with no consideration whatsoever for the nutritional needs of each individual.

So many people say, "But... they have our best interests at heart! They're LOOKING OUT FOR OUR HEALTH!!!," and subsequetly defend the mass-fluoridation of the population to the death. So, what they're saying is, they're not proactive enough to take care of their own teeth; so they need the government to do it for them?

Let people make their own decisions about their healthcare. The next thing you know, they'll be dripping antidepressants into our water supply because it could have a positive effect on the economy. Ergh.

Answer 2

Because they can't afford too. Other countries can hardly afford to supply drinkable water, let tackle the issue of what to add to it, for example if you go down to Mexico, the US neighbor to the South, when you speak of water, the conversation at the legislature table has nothing to do with water micronutrients the government should or shouldn't be adding but the availability of any water source for a population source in a town of 50,000 that isn't riddled with E coli bacteria.

Answer 3

What a troubling question. If it isn't put in the water to help strenghten teeth, then it must be in the water to do something else.

What do you propose that would be? Mind control? poisoning the poor?

Lots of other countries don't vaccinate their children. Lots of other countries don't have clean drinking water.

I got an idea. Lets live in a country where we can take nutrition, health and medicine for granted and try to think of ways that Third World countires are better places to be.

Answer 4

Hi Jonathan,
you have asked a good question. I personally am grad to have fluoride in my drinking water. They did a test of the water where I live
Here are the results if you are interested
http://health.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=105851

Answer 5

No its not, but if you are really worried about it, you can buy water filters to remove the fluoride.

I live in Australia and we have fluoride added to the water.

Answer 6

I dont really know why they do it. Yeah, It like prevents cavities and all of that, but, my parents grew up where there was a lot of it in the water, and it stained their teeth. Of course they, got them whitened, but still.

Answer 7

I have always wondered this myself!!! I know it can't be good for you if you drink a lot of it because too much of anything is bad for you!!! It is sickening, especially in bigger cities....the USA does indeed do things differently.....and I question a lot of their reasons.....If you ask me, I think it's crazy, I buy bottled water

Answer 8

to get more information about the dangers of fluoride, go to this website at www.mercola.com

Answer 9

here in autralia we dont have it in the water in all states. it is a quite contentious issue and there is many factors for and against...do some research and you be the judge

Answer 10

yes