Fluoride in drinking water

That's a really neat article too. Who knew water could be so interesting and debatable.

Interestingly enough,this article which I have read in the past, only points out that too much, being at least 25x the amount found in water naturally in texas, would have a net negative effect. The adding and removal only bring levels to recommended amounts and does not pose a harmful risk to children.


..........Unless if you lived in china. There is a skeptoid issue about this that I suggest you guys check out sometime. It is very educational.

DanWerts wrote: The adding and removal only bring levels to recommended amounts and does not pose a harmful risk to children.

..........Unless

... unless the system adding the flouride has a problem and dumps too much into the water. This very thing happened near where I live in 2009; "Up to 20 times the allowable fluoride doses were added to the water, supplying about 4,000 homes in Brisbane's north, the state government revealed last week."

Oooops.

Adder wrote:

DanWerts wrote: The adding and removal only bring levels to recommended amounts and does not pose a harmful risk to children.

..........Unless

... unless the system adding the fluoride has a problem and dumps too much into the water. This very thing happened near where I live in 2009; "Up to 20 times the allowable fluoride doses were added to the water, supplying about 4,000 homes in Brisbane's north, the state government revealed last week."

Oooops.

That's actually a fair point you make.
The fact is, when proceeding with things like sanitation, fluoridation, waste water disposal, etc, those who are providing the service must take care not to make major mistakes like this. And when they do, the problem is resolved, and those responsible are held accountable.

Also, I found the original article that tackled the whole fluoride lowers your IQ business.
http://www.cracked.com/quick-fixes/fluoride-lowers-your-iq-b.s.-headline-week/

Be advised, the site has some strong language, which is typical of a site which uses humor to tackle issues of the day.

This is my favorite part (Edited to only remove offensive language in the form of an F bomb):

"Whoa! OK, now, which areas? Like, is Milwaukee worse than Dallas? Well, let's follow the link in the press release to the study and then the additional details of the study. In some tiny print you'll find they're talking about China and India, and they are not **(Language edit)*** talking about fluoride in toothpaste or stuff being added to drinking water. In those countries, their water supply is contaminated with mega-doses of fluoride that seeps into wells from the soil. They're getting toxic levels up to 20 times higher than what you get in your drinking water."

Links they refer to (In order)
http://ehp03.niehs.nih.gov/article/fetchArticle.action;jsessionid=5C98A897B69464FD44D98698EE9FC4A1?articleURI=info%3Adoi%2F10.1289%2Fehp.1104912
The study itself.
http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/naturalhazards/en/index2.html


The takeaway, to me, is this: Fluoridation has great benefits, China and India have a problem with too much fluoride from the soil seeping into the wells, Anion F- is noted as resulting in mega-doses 20X times what is advised and China and India (The nations noted in the article) need to figure out a way to get the excess Fluoride out of well water.

Does this mean that the fluoride in our water will lower our IQs? No.
Does this mean we should demand higher standards from those we entrust to put or remove fluoride from the water? Absolutely.

Beyond that, I have nothing else to really add. Now that I am back at my house I can properly link to the article I alluded to. Since I mentioned Skeptoid earlier though, here is the skeptoid article: http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4058

As I close out, I want to remind everyone that my big thing is that we need to make sure that we always follow our sources and double check our science on things. Failure to do so could result in very negative consequences for us and our loved ones health.

Everyone take care and may the force be with you.

My point was the study says children react differently to adults, not that flouride was bad. Perhaps I should have been more specific in the title, but I thought it was clear in the message.

More and more we hear about how children can incur damage from things which adults can seemingly brush off, marijuana is another which comes to mind. Reading this and knowledge of the infallibility of human made systems would be enough to make me reconsider risking my childs health to tap water...

...if I had children :pinch:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

You can believe anything you like. The above videos on fluoride are only but a few. It is hard to ignore all the issues we have in the world and not wondering if they come from all the chemicals we consume.

We all have the right to believe whatever we wish. Personally I do believe fluoride is dangerous. I am also a firm believer that we are exploited daily by companies that know their products are dangerous but are more concerned with the bottom line than our health.

Good topic BTW, thanks for starting it.

Be healthy, be safe. MTFBWY.

Omni wrote: It is hard to ignore all the issues we have in the world and not wondering if they come from all the chemicals we consume.

THANK YOU. It always seemed obvious to me why we have the health issues we do. Everything is polluted with unnatural substances. The air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat. Very little is chemical free these days.

I have to admit to being very opinionated on this topic, because I've done the reading, and I know the facts, and we are just screwing ourselves. Fluoride may be less harmful than other chemicals, but the point could still be made that the vast majority of them do some sort of damage, even if it is extremely long-term.

It's not coincidence that cancer, disease, and disorders are at a higher rate than ever before. It's because most of what we consume is artificial. All I can say is, thank god we're given the option of Organic foods. It's not much, but it's a step in the right direction.

Streen wrote: It always seemed obvious to me why we have the health issues we do. Everything is polluted with unnatural substances. The air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat.

The longer lives we live, the cures for diseases we have, the more food we have, the less bacteria infested water we drink, the technology we have, the ability to catch a cold and survive

Very little is chemical free these days

EDIT: http://www.nhs.uk/news/2009/07July/Pages/OrganicFoodIsNoBetter.aspx

It's not coincidence that cancer, disease, and disorders are at a higher rate than ever before. It's because most of what we consume is artificial. All I can say is, thank god we're given the option of Organic foods. It's not much, but it's a step in the right direction.

Whilst we could undoubtedly do better without our pollution, there is also no doubt in my mind that human activities are centered around making our lives easier and longer. We are trading off our environment quality for life quality... And that overall, we've never had it so good. I have yet to hear from any black death casualties in my neighborhood.

As we live longer and longer, cancer rates are bound to go up. We get cancer as a result of a design flaw that causes our cells to lose DNA every time they reproduce. Cell reproduction can be accelerated through contact with dangerous chemicals, but considering smoking cigarettes takes on average a good 20 years to give a heavy smoker cancer, I think you might be jumping to conclusions regarding environmental pollution or food/drink additives.
Whilst some of our habits will lead to poor health (junk food, junk or alcoholic drinks, tobacco, drugs, skinny jeans and push-up bras), none of them count as what you call "unnatural" substances.


In regards to organic food, you might want to do some more reading. Organic food production is unreliable, significantly more extensive and difficult on the environment than your regular non-organic GM food for the same nutritional output... And pollution-wise, your organic food absorbs just as much of whatever shit is in the atmosphere than regular non-organic... It's in your tap water, your bottled water, in your freshly renewably caught salmon, everywhere.

Streen wrote: THANK YOU. It always seemed obvious to me why we have the health issues we do. Everything is polluted with unnatural substances. The air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat. Very little is chemical free these days.

I have to admit to being very opinionated on this topic, because I've done the reading, and I know the facts, and we are just screwing ourselves. Fluoride may be less harmful than other chemicals, but the point could still be made that the vast majority of them do some sort of damage, even if it is extremely long-term.

It's not coincidence that cancer, disease, and disorders are at a higher rate than ever before. It's because most of what we consume is artificial. All I can say is, thank god we're given the option of Organic foods. It's not much, but it's a step in the right direction.

What is obvious for some, is not for others and that is unfortunate. I also tend to be opinionated on this topic. I have also done the reading and spent the time researching, years actually. The information is out there and thankfully more people are learning. But with anything there are those that choose to think there is not a problem, and that is ok. We all walk our own path in life and we all choose what it is we want to believe. 'Ignorance is bliss' so the saying goes.

And yes, it is not a coincidence. It is sad. These problems are afflicting our children at an alarming rate. Diabetes alone is growing to become a global epidemic.

COPD is also on the rise and is a nasty disease to die from. COPD took my father and I must say watching him suffocate for the last 8 years of his life was one of the hardest things I have ever witnessed. He was of the belief that smoking was not hurting him. I can not tell you how many times in those 8 years he told me how he killed himself with smoking.

Again this all comes down to choice. You want to believe that fluoride or chemicals in your food and water are somehow doing you good, good for you. I am happy that you have the ability to make choices. I however will choose the opposite, I will eat organic when I can, I will grow organic and I will consume less chemicals as much as possible. My goal is not to live longer than anyone else, it is to live with the best quality of life that I can.

I have done the reading and I have changed what I eat and continue to refine it. I have never in my life felt as good as I do now. Does that mean I will not get cancer, of course not. Any of us can get cancer for a multitude of reasons. But I will do my best to reduce my chances where ever I think I can. The cleaner my body and habits become the more focused my mind. The body may be but the vehicle, but it is a good idea to treat it right so the mind has something to ride around in.

May the force be with you all.