Cavities Double After Fluoridation, Study Shows

Dentists promised steep tooth decay reductions, up to 60%, when they lobbied Kentucky legislators to compell fluoride be added to water supplies. The expensive measure has been met with a doubling of cavities instead of any reduction. What a waste of money.

New York (PRWEB) November 24, 2003 -- A new study reveals pre-school children's tooth decay rates doubled after fluoridation became Kentucky law.

In 1987, 28% of Kentucky preschoolers developed cavities. That number increased to 47% in 2001, according to the July/August 2003 journal, "Pediatric Dentistry."(1)

Over 96% of Kentucky water systems add fluoride since a 1977 Kentucky law compelled water suppliers serving over 1,500 individuals to fluoridate, aimed to reduce tooth decay by up to 60%(2)(3). Fluoride supplements are prescribed to children without fluoridated water(3).

But cavities didn't decline at all. In fact, 57% of Kentucky third- and sixth-graders also developed tooth decay.

"...untreated decay and caries experience have increased since the state's 1987 survey. The state's levels also appear to be much worse than national levels for these same indices," concludes authors Hardison et al., summarizing "The 2001 Kentucky Children's Oral Health Survey..."

It turns out, these children need dentists more than fluoride. Forty-three percent of preschoolers suffered with festering teeth. "There are a lot of places, Appalachia being one, where kids do not always get the dental care that they need," said Jim Cecil, administrator of Oral Health Programs for the Kentucky Department of Public Health in an AP wire story(4). "Oral disease is reaching a crisis level for children across the country and here in Kentucky," he said.

A Kentucky dentist "shocked by a dramatic increase in the dental decay rate" found poor diet to be the culprit(5).

Besides water company expenses for fluoridation equipment, chemicals, housing, etc, surveillance, alone, cost Kentucky $350,000 yearly(2).

A reporter recently freely entered a Pennsylvania water treatment plant, unwatched for twenty minutes with toxic concentrations of fluoride chemicals unguarded(6). Fluoride is odorless and tasteless. An Alaskan man died when his community water supplier accidentally poured in too much fluoride(7).

"We must remove all fluoride chemicals from water plants before a disaster occurs. Obviously fluoridation isn't even reducing tooth decay. So why risk an incident?" says lawyer Paul Beeber, President, New York State Coalition Opposed to Fluoridation.

Silicofluorides, used by over 91% of U.S. fluoridating communities are linked to children's higher blood-lead levels which, in turn, is linked to higher rates of tooth decay.(8)

Fluoride at doses slightly above dentists' recommendations can also cause cavities, according to Burt, Eklund, et al, in the dental textbook, "Dentist, Dental Practice, and the Community." (9)

Cavity crises occur in many fluoridated cities: http://www.orgsites.com/ny/nyscof2/_pgg5.php3

More accidents: http://www.fluoridealert.org/accidents.htm

Contact:
Paul S. Beeber
President & General Counsel
New York State Coalition Opposed to Fluoridation, Inc.
PO Box 263
Old Bethpage, NY 11804
nyscof@aol.com

http://www.orgsites.com/ny/nyscof
http://tinyurl.com/ad9k

References:

(1) Pediatric Dentistry 2003 Jul-Aug;25(4):365-72

The 2001 Kentucky Childrens Oral Health Survey: findings for children ages 24 to 59 months and their caregivers.

Hardison JD, Cecil JC, White JA, Manz M, Mullins MR, Ferretti GA.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=13678102&dopt=Abstract

(2) Dental Public Health Activities & Practices, Oral Health Program, Kentucky Department of Health

http://www.astdd.org/bestpractices/pdf/DES20001KYfluoridationsurveillance.pdf

(3) "Kentucky's A Leader in Water Fluoridation; Celebrates National Children's Dental Health Month," February 6, 2003

http://chs.ky.gov/chs/news/newsreleases/2003/nr020603.doc

(4)The Associated Press
Monday 26 November 2001
"Dental Clinic Helps Rural Children"
http://www.fluoridealert.org/news/734.html

(5) "Are we failing in our public health mission?" by Sue Feeley

http://kdhc.org/healthcamp.htm

(6) Pittsburgh Tribune Review, "Chemical Plants Still Vulnerable," by Carl Prine, November 16, 2003

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/valleynewsdispatch/news/p_49388.html

(7) New England Journal of Medicine 1994 Jan 13, "Acute fluoride poisoning from a public water system,"
Gessner BD, Beller M, Middaugh JP, Whitford GM

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=8259189&dopt=Abstract

(8) http://www.enn.com/direct/display-release.asp?objid=D1D1364E000000F3D38279C8E77A5E55

(9) http://www.enn.com/direct/display-release.asp?objid=D1D1364E000000F3B58DC8CBA01A092E
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