Is fluoridation of drinking water really necessary and cost-effective?

[Rabid]

I have heard and seen a number of sites that claim that the fluoride that is put into water is a waste product of aluminum and fertilizer industries and that it is actually toxic and can cause cancer and genetic damage and a number of other health problems.

Is there any truth to this?

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

http://www.greenfacts.org/fluoride/index.htm

 

[SGT]

There was found a larger incidence of cancer cases in communities that fluoridate water than in non fluoridation communities.
This does not mean that fluor causes cancer! Communities that fluoridate water are generally richer, so it is expected a larger lifespan and, in consequence, greater incidence of degenerative diseases, like cancer, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.
You must distinguish statistical correlation from causation.

 

[google]

F is used as a metabolic inhibitor in several microorganisms. Just the other week we did a study on L.Plantarum and the relative fermentative productivity of it once it was exposed to NaF or Iodoacetamide. The results where that NaF was the more potent inhibitor and basically the little I know is that it can even stuff up bacteria that use manganese as their final electron acceptor. That is a big deal as most Mn2+ critters have this unknown way of dealing with free radicals like superoxide. That also means that these critters are somewhat resistant to the effects of visible light which can kill even some of the most adaptive microorganims like e.coli.

F is also pretty high up on the electron acceptor list so it can pretty much bind to any positive molecule. It restricts several enzymes in this way especially glycolysis enzymes. Now F or any pure element in great concentrations can cause big problems in the body, it their accumulation that may cause regulatory problems in the body.

The vast majority of people in Australia, US and I think Canada drink fluoridated water and for it to cause cancer would be its presence or a cocentration of it in the cancerous tissue. Atleast I would detect it causing cancer in this fashion, now in humans i have not seen any paper stating this or any study actually trying to observe this. A lot of the research I have seen on F deal primarily with it as anti microbial agent.

There are millions of studies and I like many are oblivious to most of them unless I am supposed to write a report or something. F to my knowledge if widely used around us and so are VOCs so basically to determine which causes cancer would very hard. I think it could be cumulative effect, genetic susceptibility should also be taken into account here.

 

[Phobos]

http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts11.html#bookmark06

Most of the studies of people living in areas with fluoridated water or naturally high levels of fluoride in drinking water did not find an association between fluoride and cancer risk. Two animal cancer studies were inconclusive. The international Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has determined that the carcinogenicity of fluoride to humans is not classifiable.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

However, here in Oregon, a very strong correlation between rotten teeth and unfluoridated water has motivated even the smallest towns to add fluoride.

In fact...that gives me an idea for my well...

 

[Phobos]

In fact...that gives me an idea for my well...

dude, pretty soon, you're going to need to hire a full time operator!

 

[fileen]

I don't know about cancer, but my friends a dentist and she told me that the people you see whose teeth have white blotches on them all on the bottom and edges, its from too much fluoride in their system. they have very strong teeth that will never break, but it looks awful and there is no way to reverse it. dude, just brush your teeth and they won't rot out of your head. how difficult is that?

 

[Moonbear]

However, here in Oregon, a very strong correlation between rotten teeth and unfluoridated water has motivated even the smallest towns to add fluoride.

In fact...that gives me an idea for my well...

My sister lives in a town that has unfluoridated water, so the pediatricians prescribe chewable tablets that contain fluoride for the kids. I would suspect pediatricians in other towns without fluoridated water do this as well. Therefore, if you're going to attribute anything to the fluoride, you're going to have to account for those obtaining it from sources other than drinking water.

 

[Burnsys]

What is the point of flouridrating tons and tons of water when only a small 0.0003% is going to end inside the human body?? i mean. is the same water we use to wash the dishes, take showers, wash the car, clean the flor... what is the point? i still don't get it...

 

[hypatia]

http://www.fluoridation.com/calgaryh.htm#MUL95

I found this interesting. It has studies and reports on the bad side effect of F

 

[fileen]

Im glad I am on a well

 

[russ_watters]

What is the point of flouridrating tons and tons of water when only a small 0.0003% is going to end inside the human body?? i mean. is the same water we use to wash the dishes, take showers, wash the car, clean the flor... what is the point? i still don't get it...

My dad has on the order of about 100 cavities.

I have 3.

 

[Phobos]

What is the point of flouridrating tons and tons of water when only a small 0.0003% is going to end inside the human body?? i mean. is the same water we use to wash the dishes, take showers, wash the car, clean the flor... what is the point? i still don't get it...

The same could be said for many aspects of water treatment (e.g., disinfection). I suppose it would be too expensive/complicated to provide multiple grades of water to every household...easier to make it all as clean as possible. But for fluoridation, I got to wonder if it would be cheaper for cities just to provide everyone with fluoride drops/tablets via the local pharmacy.

 

[matthyaouw]

But for fluoridation, I got to wonder if it would be cheaper for cities just to provide everyone with fluoride drops/tablets via the local pharmacy.

But I wonder how many people would bother to take advantage of it. If the goal of the government is to get fluoride into everyone, the water supply would be a more effective delivery method.
As for being cheaper, I'm not sure of the costs of flouridation of water supplies, but to make, package and distribute tablets/drops to every pharmacy in a city over a long timescale must be quite costly I should imagine.