Over-exposure to Fluoride
“In setting national standards for fluoride or in evaluating the possible health consequences of exposure to fluoride, it is essential to consider the intake of water by the population of interest and the intake of fluoride from other sources (e.g. from food, air and dental preparations). Where the intake from other sources are likely to approach, or be greater than, 6 mg/day, it would be appropriate to consider setting standards at concentrations lower than the guideline value."
Ref: Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality, 4th edition [WHO 2011, p. 371]
On many occasions, fluoridation proponents have quoted the World Health Organisation as an authority for initiating WF. However, they fail to quote the above which provides an entirely different perspective.
We are forced to assume that the DHSC has not thought to evaluate an individual's exposure to fluoride. If just one person was found to be over-indulging in fluoride, surely that ought to put an end to this quirky practice? We would love to hear from adults who think they are swallowing too much fluoride. Remember, it's 6 mg/day - the equivalent of 6 litres of fluoridated water. As far as babies and young children the maximum is 0.05mg fluoride/kilo body weight/day. A 6-kilo baby should only swallow 0.3mg fluoride/day. It is very likely that the fluoridated baby is swallowing more than that. This fact on its own should be enough to stop WF dead in its tracks. After all, it has now been established that fluoride reduces human (and animal) intelligence by 5-7 IQ points when the water is dosed with 1mg Fluoride/litre.
When the Optimum is not the Optimum
The foolish claim dating from the 1940s in the USA that 1mg f/litre is the optimum to realise the "benefit" to teeth but to avoid dental fluorosis became outdated once fluoridated toothpaste, other dental preparations and fluoride-containing manufactured food came onto the market in the late 1970s. Before then, after the USA fell prey to the enticements of Dental Professionals and Aluminium Producers, all food manufactured in fluoridated states and cities contained fluoride if water was used in their manufacture. Remembering that the USA is heavily into fast food and prepared meals, the optimum of 1mg fast became outdated and should have been reviewed decades ago.
It was not until 2018 that the optimum reduced down to 0.7 mg F/litre in the USA in recognition of the fact that dental fluorosis in the USA had reached an unacceptable level of 45% of the population that the pro-fluoridation Centers for Disease Control agreed to reduce the target concentration.
Not so in the UK: 1mg F/litre is written into the WF enabling law (Water Industry Act 1991, s.87 et seq. It would take a change in the law in the UK to reduce down to 0.7 mgF/litre. It is our guess that this might occur if WF is rolled out throughout the UK following the enactment of two Clauses in the Health and Care Bill 2022. The Government cannot expect us to be grateful though. A concentration of 0.2mg F/litre is enough to reduce a child's intelligence!
We need the government to acknowledge that systemic fluoride is not beneficial to IQ.
What is the point of aiming to prevent dental decay if exposure to systemic fluoride causes dental fluorosis and reduced intelligence? What's more important - saving a tooth or saving your child's brain?
Sources of Exposure to Fluoride
The following is a list is not exhaustive. We're happy to add suggested new items.
- Water containing calcium fluoride, hexafluorosilicic acid and hydrofluoric acid. Note that disodium fluorosilicate is rarely used in the England;
- Fluoride absorbed through the skin when taking hot baths. Note, the jury is out on this. The skin is capable of absorbing many chemicals and natural substances so why should fluoride and fluoride compounds be the exception? The Precautionary Principle needs to be applied;
- Tea leaves – the older the leaf the more fluoride it contains The longer it is steeped, the more fluoride leaches out of the leaves.
- Prescription drugs containing fluoride as a potentiator. Any drug containing the syllable "flu" contains fluoride (F)
- Food and drinks manufactured in fluoridated areas which use water in the recipe. This includes deboned meat added to jars of paste sold as being suitable for babies;
- Fluoridated toothpaste. Do Not Swallow! Because of the prevalence of fluoride toothpaste, it is a certain bet that children living in fluoridated areas are over-exposed.
+
- Mouthwash containing fluoride;
- Mouth rinse at the dentists;
- Dental glass ionomer fillings;
- Dental cement;
- Dental floss;
- Fluoride varnish;
- Dental sealants.
(If you want to avoid exposure at the Dentists, make sure a note is added to your records that no fluoride should be administered. This is important in respect of children since Dentists are on a mission to varnish children's teeth at every opportunity.)
An explanatory list of dental products containing fluoride can be read at https://fluoridealert.org/issues/sources/f-toothpaste/
