Fluoride Free New Zealand and New Zealand Doctors Speaking Out With Science take legal action against Hastings District Council over Fluoridation.
A team of experts from Chile–including doctors, biologists, a lawyer, a civil engineer, a toxicologist, an environmental expert, and a chemist–have published a damning review of water fluoridation in the Medical Journal of Chile, February 2017. The review was financed by the Medical College of Chile.
Chile is considered a pioneer in the fluoridation of drinking water, starting in 1953 when Curico was fluoridated. By 1958, nearly 60% of the country was fluoridated, and constant expansion has led to a current rate of 82.5%.
Despite the long history of national support for the practice, the article entitled, “Consequences of Fluoridation of Drinking Water on Human Health,” concludes that artificial fluoridation of drinking water and milk has not only been ineffective at reducing dental decay in children, but is likely harmful to health. According to the researchers:
“A) The effects of fluoride intake pose risks of various diseases in the asthmatic-skeletal, neurological, endocrine and skin systems. Dental and skeletal fluorosis are signs of chronic and excessive ingestion of fluoride.
B) Infants, children and adolescents are at high risk of diseases due to over-intake of fluorides, through drinking water and / or fluoridated milk, as the deterioration of health is proportional to the dose and the time of exposure .
C) The fluoridation of drinking water does not significantly impact on caries prevention. For their effectiveness is rather a topical and non-systemic effect, as demonstrated by countries that do not fluoride drinking water, and do not use milk or fluoride salts, decreasing dental deterioration at the same rate as those that fluoride drinking water.”
The research team based their analysis on a review of all available studies that included control of confounding variables. They discuss fluoride’s ability to cause bone, thyroid, neurological, and skin damage. There is also in indepth analysis of WHO data that shows, “fluoridation of drinking water and salts have no incidence at all in reducing dental [decay].”
There was also a brief discussion on the legal aspects of water fluoridation, which found the following:
“The fluoridation of drinking water in Chile forces citizens to involuntarly consume a chemical they do not require. For decade the majority of the Chilean population has been overexposed to this potentially unhealthy element, transgressing constitional guarantees.”
In response to their findings the research team made the following recommendations:
” 1. To amend Decree No. 735 of November 7, 1969, updating it with Supreme Decree No. 131 of 2006, and the Regulations for Services for Human Consumption of 2007, to avoid fluoridation of drinking water and avoid fluoridation Of milk, in all regions of the country.
2. Prioritize the use of dental hygiene products containing the necessary, but minimal, amounts of fluoride to maintain dental health, strengthen education for better dental care and better nutrition.
3. Educate health and education professionals about the adverse consequences of fluoride intake.
4. To carry out epidemiological studies in Chile, to evaluate the adverse effects on health, through ingestion and use of fluorides, for decades.”
READ THE FULL STUDY [Not translated]
Sincerely,
Stuart Cooper
Campaign Director
Fluoride Action Network
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One really massive important point that should be mentioned here is the culture in Chile from a very young age for people to consume vast amounts of sugared soda drinks – this must be one of the major causes of tooth decay and along with the culture of eating so much sugar in sweets and other sweetened processed foods including bread, this is the main reason for so much tooth decay in Chile – limiting the amount of sugar on the teeth throughout the day will help the citizens of Chile to combat tooth decay (and obesity and type II diabetes at the same time.)