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Avoiding Fluoride for Kids

Too much of a good thing can sometimes be…a very bad thing indeed.

Take fluoride. We’ve all heard how important it is to brush our teeth with toothpaste that contains fluoride; our kids get fluoride treatments when they visit the dentist; and for decades, we’ve been adding it to drinking water so kids are sure to get a good dose of it – all in the name of preventing cavities.

Now research shows that we may have gone overboard. In our zeal to protect kids from cavities, we may be increasing their chances of developing bone cancer and other health problems.

A study by researchers at Harvard University found that boys who drink fluoridated tap water are five times as likely to develop a rare but fatal form of bone cancer than those who drink water without fluoride. Additional research by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) shows that current allowable levels of fluoride in tap water are high enough to weaken tooth enamel and may cause weakening of the bones, as well as IQ deficits.

A separate analysis, conducted by the nonprofit Environmental Working Group (EWG), found that 8-36% of all babies under six months of age in American cities are exposed daily to levels of fluoride that exceed “safe” doses. In Boston, for example, a whopping 61% of babies fed formula (made with tap water) were exposed to high levels of fluoride.

Now, the NAS and other groups concerned about children’s health are calling upon the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to lower the levels of fluoride in drinking water.

For more information on these studies, and the harmful effects of fluoride, click here or download the pdf.

To read more about this and other environmental health issues, go to: www.environmentalhealthnews.org, www.ourstolenfuture.org, or www.healthandenvironment.org