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UK Against Fluoridation

Monday, June 30, 2008

USA - Fluoridated water lawsuits readied

Fluoridated water lawsuits readied
June 29, 2008 - 8:42PM
Attorney Robert Reeves has warned the American Water Works Association not to eliminate or tamper with documents that might have bearing on lawsuits regarding the drinking of fluoridated water.

Infants, diabetics and those with kidney problems are particularly at risk. The National Kidney Foundation has withdrawn it's support of fluoridation. There are impending lawsuits.

Daniel Stockin of the Lillie Center Inc. warns that "there is a rapidly closing window in which cities or health officials can act to end fluoridation without being held accountable for continuing to support fluoridation."
CAROLE PEREZ
Yuma

USA - To add fluoride to water or not

To add fluoride to water or not
By DIANE WETZEL
Published: Saturday, June 28, 2008 4:52 AM
The North Platte Telegraph
Voters in North Platte have rejected adding fluoride to the city's water twice in the past, but now must line up for a third time after state lawmakers passed legislation requiring any city within the state with a population of 1,000 or more must fluoridate their water by June 1, 2010.
Cities that do not fluoridate may opt out of the mandate by putting the issue on the ballot.
On Tuesday, July 1, the city council will vote on a resolution to bring the issue to the Nov. 4 general election.
"We want to get this on the ballot so the people in North Platte can tell us what they want to do," said City Administrator Jim Hawks.
Fluoride occurs naturally in the city's water, but only at half the levels the state is requiring.
To bring the fluoride levels up to state standards would cost the city about $150,000, according to Hawks.

USA - Am Dent Assoc Admits: Fluoride of Concern to Kidney Patients

Am Dent Assoc Admits: Fluoride of Concern to Kidney Patients
by Sally Stride Page 1 of 1 page(s)
On June 19, 2008 the American Dental Association updated its website reporting that fluoride is a concern to all kidney patients, not just those on dialysis.
Along with false assurances of safety, fluoride chemicals are added to some public and bottled water in the unscientific belief it reduces cavities.
Fluoride-induced bone damage could occur in kidney patients who consume even "optimally" fluoridated water because malfunctioning kidneys do not properly sift fluoride from the blood and out of the body. Fluoride can build up in bones making them brittle and fracture
For this reason, the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) withdrew its fluoridation endorsement in October 2007, which they made public in a fluoride paper dated April 15, 2008 with advice that “individuals with CKD [Chronic Kidney Disease] should be notified of the potential risk of fluoride exposure.”

After the 2006 National Research Council's (NRC) fluoride toxicology report was brought to their attention, the NKF withdrew its fluoridation endorsement.

The NRC fluoride report was created by a 12-member panel of scientists to review current fluoride toxicology data at the request of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to determine whether the maximum contaminant level goal (4 mg/L) of fluoride in public water supplies is safe. The NRC says that level must be lowered. But neither the NRC nor the EPA has defined a safe level.

At least three NRC panel members conclude that water fluoride levels should be close to zero, not only to protect kidney patients, but also thyroid patients, infants and high water drinkers

This would effectively shut down fluoridation in the U.S. But organized dentistry isn't going to let go of its pet project and diminish its political viability by admitting fluoridation is a failed experiment. So they downplay anything negative about fluoride and in this case they want you to know that fluoride is only a secondary concern. And, of course, this writer wants you to know that secondary doesn't mean no concern.

However, even the ADA seems to be covering their legal assets with this statement in their Fluoridation Facts booklet, “decreased fluoride removal may occur among persons with severely impaired kidney function who may not be on kidney dialysis.”

Dr. Julie Gerberding, Director, Centers for Disease Control (CDC) claims that the CDC is "America's health protection leader." The CDC calls fluoridation one of the Ten Great Public Health Achievements of the last century. But, the CDC has not provided the fluoride/kidney toxiclogy information on their website. The CDC often follows the lead of the ADA concerning fluoride and fluoridation. So we'll be watching.

The CDC’s website still erroneously claims, “The findings of the NRC report are consistent with CDC’s assessment that water is safe and healthy at the levels used for water fluoridation (0.7–1.2 mg/L)”

The NRC reports “Early water fluoridation studies did not carefully assess changes in renal [kidney] function...Several investigators have shown that patients with impaired renal function, or on hemodialysis, tend to accumulate fluoride much more quickly than normal."

New York State Department of Health employee and dentist, Dr. J. Kumar received the ADA’s fluoridation award. With money and support from the CDC Kumar is promoting fluoridation in New York State by conducting fluoridation spokesperson training, among other activies.

Kumar is ignoring his own 1990 health department report published in Oral Biology and Medicine which concluded “The available data suggest that some individuals may experience hypersensitivity to fluoride-containing agents. Further studies on hypersensitivity are required" and "Studies on the effects of fluoride in individuals with renal insufficiency are needed."
That advice wasn’t heeded. Those studies were never conducted. But Kumar and the NYS Department of Health is using our tax money to push even more fluoride into us.

According to the Fluoride Action Network,: “The bone changes commonly found among patients with advanced kidney disease closely resemble the bone changes found among individuals with the osteomalacic-type of skeletal fluorosis. This raises the possibility that some individuals with kidney disease are suffering from undiagnosed skeletal fluorosis.”

All about wealth

USA - More than lip service to fluoride benefits

More than lip service to fluoride benefits
June 30, 2008
This is in response to "Fluoride's glory may be cresting; Opposition to chemical presence in water supply gains voice in the city where it all started" (News, June 23), by Tribune correspondent Tim Jones. More than 60 years of research, practical experience and scientific evidence has consistently indicated that fluoridation of community water supplies is a safe and effective way to prevent tooth decay. This is why two-thirds of the U.S. population, including Chicago, consumes fluoridated water and why the American Dental Association, along with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other prominent groups have long advocated for fluoridation.
Peer-reviewed, scientific studies show that water fluoridation continues to be effective in reducing dental decay by 20 percent to 40 percent, even with widespread availability of fluoride from other sources, such as toothpaste.
Fluoridation of community water supplies is the single most effective public health measure to prevent tooth decay. The CDC has proclaimed community water fluoridation as one of the10 great public health achievements of the 20th Century, and we agree.

—Keith W. Dickey, DDS

Same song sheet

USA - Easing W.Va.'s Ache for Care

Easing W.Va.'s Ache for Care
Volunteer Dentists Treat More Than 1,100 in Two-Day Event

Patients get dental work done in the gym of Hedgesville High School in Berkeley County, W.Va., which an army of 700 volunteers turned into a free clinic. The two-day effort was staffed by 50 volunteer dentists and funded by a local philanthropist. (Photo: Ricky Carioti/Post)
By Ben Hubbard
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, June 29, 2008; Page C07

HEDGESVILLE, W.Va., June 28 -- Some came with cracked teeth. Others described theirs as rotten. One man chipped his while eating ice. Another -- improbably -- while eating a cheeseburger.

"I thought there was a piece of bread caught in my teeth," said Jeff Coonrod, 37, of Charles Town, W.Va. "So I tried to get it out, and there was nothing there."

Most hadn't been to the dentist in at least five years. All cited the same reasons: too expensive, no dental insurance, ignored it until it hurt.

Through a free dental clinic organized by the United Way and the Virginia Dental Association, all they needed to get care in this small town 90 miles northwest of the District was a little patience.

More than 300 were in line when Berkeley County's Hedgesville High School opened at 6 a.m. Saturday for the second and final day of the Mission of Mercy. Some had waited since midnight. Others had had teeth pulled or repaired the day before and had come back for more work. More than 1,100 people were treated during the two days, said Terry Dickinson, executive director of the Virginia Dental Association. An army of 700 volunteers from Berkeley and the surrounding counties transformed the high school into a MASH-like dental facility.

Nurses took vital signs by hallway lockers. Dentistry students in the school's trophy-adorned foyer poked about in patients' mouths and sent them off for X-rays, repair work or dreaded extractions.

Such was the lot of 29-year-old Mike Waugh of nearby Berkeley Springs, W.Va. Sitting under a basketball hoop on the edge of the gym floor, crowded with 50 volunteer dentists, their assistants and tools, he talked about the four teeth he thought he was about to lose.

"On a pain scale from one to 10, the past couple of nights have been a 10," he said. In the past, he'd broken his leg, his hand and his finger, but none, he said, hurt as much as his teeth.
"It's unbearable," he said. "Your leg, you can prop it up. You can't prop your mouth up."
Waugh's work as a self-employed floorer supports his wife and four children, he said, but doesn't bring in enough for health insurance, much less dental care. His wife earns $8 an hour in day care. She, too, gets no benefits.
A volunteer escorted him to a chair. The dentist looked at his folder and said he'd pull four teeth. Waugh leaned back and opened wide. The dentist reached for the forceps. ............................

Virginia is 95% fluoridated
West Virginia is 91% fluoridated: NYSCOF

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Mainly fluoridated USA

................According to the medical director of Harrison Hospital’s Emergency Department, Mills said, some 1,300 people came to the hospital last year for “emergency” dental care. Most of the patients were low-income people in severe pain from dental problems and had no place else to go because dentists would not see them.

The problem is national and statewide, and the United Way recently identified access to affordable dental care as Kitsap County’s No. 1 need............

Some Dentists Distrust Water Fluoridation

(FPRC) -- Most dentists love fluoride, but support for water fluoridation is far from universal. In a recent survey by dental marketing resource The Wealthy Dentist, dentists expressed relatively low levels of concern about the safety of fluoride. However, anti-fluoridationists have become increasingly vocal.

Fluoride became nearly synonymous with dentistry in the 20th century. It was discovered quite by accident that children living in areas with high levels of naturally-occurring fluoride got fewer cavities. Fluoride became a standard ingredient in toothpaste. Many communities began to fluoridate their water supplies in order to protect the dental health of their residents.

Today, no one disputes that fluoride can help prevent cavities. However, some argue that water fluoridation may do more harm than good. Though most US residents still receive fluoridated water, an increasing number of communities are opting not to add fluoride to their public water supplies. Much of Europe has moved away from water fluoridation in recent years.

Of course, many dentists passionately defend fluoride and its safety."It's the best public health measure ever instituted in this country for caries prevention," said a Texas dentist. "I think the public needs to understand the adverse affect of caries (cavities)!" agreed a Florida dentist. "Fluoride is 100% safe," declared a Louisiana oral surgeon.

Some argue that water fluoridation does not actually improve dental health. "If you want fluoride to work, rub it on the teeth, don't ingest it. If you want to prevent skin cancer, do you put SPF 30 in the water supply?" asked a New Jersey dentist. "Fluoride is okay topically, but no study shows that ingesting fluoride reduces decay," agreed a Wisconsin dentist.

The issue of "forced medication" is central to some. "It's been shown to be effective, but we shouldn't be medicating the whole population," said a Colorado dentist. "It's a travesty that this is placed in our water supplies," agreed an orthodontist. "Dentists need to step back and stop forcing fluoride on the public," opined an Idaho dentist. "History will be unkind to dentistry on the subject of fluoridation," offered a dental office worker.

Some scientific evidence links fluoride to cancer and other health problems. "It's known to be toxic," said a California dentist. "People have their heads in the sand about fluoride. The high incidence of testicular cancer in male adolescents living in fluoridated areas is enough to tell me," said a New Jersey dentist. "Recent studies suspect fluoride in water of my home town having caused a few osteosarcomas," mentioned a California dentist.

"Water fluoridation is considered to be one of the major health improvements of the 20th century," said Jim Du Molin, dental practice management consultant and founder of The Wealthy Dentist. "Now, a lot of people are having second thoughts about adding chemicals to public water supplies. Though 'fighting cavities' sounds great, people are a lot less enthused about the idea of 'mass medication.'"

Minimal Intervention

.................Fluoride toxicity is not often discussed because deaths from fluoride overdose seldom happen, and most times the fluoride is not from oral care products. However, with the increased use of fluoride varnishes, it may be worth mentioning because of its high concentration. Symptoms include hypersalivation, headache, muscular spasm, nausea, vomiting, tremors, diarrhea, titanic contractions, abdominal pain, hyperactive reflexes, dysphasia, and muscle weakness.........

Thailand - Post-Tsunami

.......................We start screening the youngest children first. I was immediately stunned by what I saw. After about 10 children, I didn't even have to look at the mouth to know I would fill in all eight deciduous molars with red pencil on a chart. The decay was rampant, but the overall hygiene was pretty good. I looked at six-year-olds and thought, “How can you eat? They can't possibly be getting proper nutrition if they can't chew fibrous foods.” I saw so many teeth broken down to the root. I didn't see one or two displaced permanent teeth, I saw whole rows of displaced teeth. I had never seen anything like it. My initial dismay turned into adrenalin. I felt absolutely compelled to chart as many children as possible, and we screened nearly 400 children altogether.
What I tried to do is prioritize the children in a very simplistic way. Ninety percent of the children had obvious decay. This diagnosis was made without the assistance of radiographs. Sixty percent probably have rampant decay, and about 15 percent had situations I labeled as severe. Many of these children came from very poor families, and malnutrition contributed to their fragile enamel. Some children in rural areas of Thailand have weakened enamel due to an overabundance of fluoride in their well water. ................................

Taking care of your child's teeth

Taking care of your child's teeth
Your child's first teeth may only last for a few years, but the good dental habits you teach now will last a whole lifetime. Here are some easy, positive ways you can care for your child's teeth, starting today.
Give them lots of calcium
Calcium is the building block for developing and protecting strong teeth. It's in milk, cheese and yogurt or, for a dairy-free alternative, try sardines. But do check the labels on yogurt and fromage frais pots for sugar or sucrose, as these won't do your child's teeth any favours. If you're pregnant, it's important for you to eat more calcium, as your baby's milk and adult teeth are formed in the womb.
Use a fluoride toothpaste
Fluoride in toothpaste is the main reason why tooth decay has been slashed by 50 per cent in the last 30 years. It works by strengthening the tooth enamel that helps protect it from decay. Be sure to use a pea-sized amount of children's toothpaste, as adult brands contain too much fluoride for little ones.
Brush their teeth after all meals
'You need to start brushing teeth as soon as the first one appears,' says dentist Graham Wilding. If you can brush your child's teeth after every meal, you'll be giving them a fantastic head start, but doing so after breakfast and dinner is a must for getting rid of plaque, which causes decay. 'Let your child see you brushing your teeth, as kids love to copy their parents,' adds Wilding.

USA - Fluoride could go on ballot throughout area

Fluoride could go on ballot throughout area
The Grand Island Independent
Posted Jun 28, 2008 @ 10:53 PM
CENTRAL NEBRASKA —
Grand Island's not the only one.Towns throughout Central Nebraska are leaving it up to voters to decide whether to opt out of the Legislature's new mandate to fluoridate all water in municipalities with 1,000 or more people.Officials in Hastings, Shelton and York voted this month to place the issue on November's general election ballot.The Central City and Aurora city councils will vote next month on putting it on the ballot as well.For many city leaders, it's a simple matter of giving the voters a say."Since it's going to affect everybody, the public should have their voice count," said Lynn McBride, chairman of the Shelton Village Board.But concerned health officials and dentists are readying themselves to fight to have a state mandate actually implemented.Teresa Anderson, executive director of the Central District Health Department, said that between the statewide smoking ban and the fluoridation mandate, this year has been an exciting one for her department.But she said she had been hoping that more local leaders would follow the Legislature's lead."It's somewhat frustrating," Anderson said. "But we also see it as an opportunity to help the public understand the benefits of fluoridation. We feel that's something they need to know."Those on the other side of the issue aren't exactly pleased, either.A Hastings group called Nebraskans for Safe Water filed a petition last week to ban the use of a type of fluoride called "hydrofluorosilicic acid" in the city's water.Even after the city council voted Monday to put fluoridation on the ballot in November, the group is still hoping to gather the 2,142 signatures necessary to put their ban on the ballot, too.The resolution passed by the city refers only to "fluoride," but the group is concerned especially about potential health risks in hydrofluorosilicic acid, said its spokesman, Marvin "Butch" Hughes.Hughes said he's worried that there are no long-term toxicological studies on the effects of that form of fluoride.He said that for cities to refer to "fluoride" on the ballot -- knowing that most people understand it as the more common calcium fluoride or sodium fluoride -- when they really plan to use hydrofluorosilicic acid is disingenuous."We think it's deceitful. It is uninforming. It's a bold-faced lie, if you want to look at it as a black-and-white issue," Hughes said.Not that they're OK with any other kind of fluoridation, either. Hughes called it "mass medication" and said it's not something government should be deciding for everyone.It's in the interest of combating arguments like these that Anderson has met with dentists, doctors and other pro-fluoride residents in Aurora, Central City, Grand Island and Wood River.Anderson said that based on speaking to city officials, she believes the other three towns will join Grand Island soon in putting fluoridation on the ballot.She wants to assure that local health professionals have an education campaign ready.The primary message she wants to get out is that it's been proven to be a safe, effective tool that's invaluable to public health -- hydrofluorosilicic acid included."Those sources tell us that fluorosilicic acid is safe," Anderson said, referring to peer-reviewed scientific studies. "Otherwise, it wouldn't be used in 67 percent of the municipalities that use fluoride nationwide."One of the people Anderson has met with is Cindy Gaskill, an Aurora resident and an instructor in the dental hygiene department at Central Community College-Hastings.In years of dental screening across the state, Gaskill said she can see an incredible difference between towns like Lincoln, Omaha and Kearney that fluoridate their water and those that don't.And in 13 years of screening in Aurora schools, she sees the need there, too."I know there is a problem," Gaskill said. "There are kids who are not getting care."Of course, the fluoridation mandate the Legislature passed this spring is an unfunded one.In Aurora, estimates placed the initial cost to the city of installing fluoridation equipment at $400,000, said City Administrator Mike Bair (He expects annual maintenance costs to be relatively minor).That's a cost that the city would need to go into debt to pay."We knew it was going to be a six-figure estimate," Bair said. "Just not as high as $400,000.”

Saturday, June 28, 2008

UK - Echo comment from Paul Connett

Posted by: Paul Connett, PhD, Canton, NY, USA on 3:35am today
In her article, “US city mirrors Hampshire's fluoride debate,” Lucy Clark points out that “Forty-six of the USA's largest cities” as well as “Sydney, Melbourne, Hong Kong, Dublin, Birmingham and Newcastle” fluoridate their water. If this list is given in order to encourage Southampton to follow suit, I would point out that the vast majority of cities worldwide do not fluoridate their water, and there is no scientific evidence that their teeth are any worse than the cities that do. These non-fluoridated cities include: Albany (NY), Amsterdam, Antwerp, Athens, Basel, Beijing, Belfast, Bergen, Berlin, Bern, Bologna, Bombay, Bonn, Bremen, Brescia, Brussels, Calcutta, Cambridge, Cape Town, Cardiff, Carlisle, Cologne, Copenhagen, Christchurch, Delhi, Durban, Dusseldorf, Edinburgh, Florence, Frankfurt, Geneva, Genova, Hamburg, Helsinki, Innsbruch, Johannesburg, Kyoto, London, Lucca, Luxembourg, Lyon, Madras, Malmo, Marseilles, Milan, Monaco, Montreal, Moscow, Munich, Naples, Nice, Oslo, Osaka, Oxford, Padua, Paris, Prague, Pretoria, Quebec City, Reykjavik, Rome, Rotterdam, Rouen, Salzburg, St. Petersburg, Stockholm, Tallin, Tel Aviv, Tokyo, Trieste, Turin, Udine, Utrecht, Vancouver, Venice, Vienna, Warsaw, Wurtemburg, Yokohama, Zagreb, and Zurich. I urge you to be very wary of following this bad American practice. In America, some of the worst tooth decay is occurring in cities which have been fluoridated for over 20 years. This is largely because America does a terrible job of getting dental care to families of low income. 80% of American dentists refuse to treat poor children on MedicAid. It is well established that there is a far greater relationship between poor dietary habits, and low income levels, than you will ever find with lack of ingested fluoride. In the US, and elsewhere, health authorities should find better ways of providing dental care for families of low income, as well as education for a better diet and dental habits, than wasting taxpayers dollars pursuing the myth of water fluoridation. Paul Connett, PhD, Executive Director, Fluoride Action Network 315-379-9200 http://www.FluorideA lert.org
In her article, “US city mirrors Hampshire's fluoride debate,” Lucy Clark points out that “Forty-six of the USA's largest cities” as well as “Sydney, Melbourne, Hong Kong, Dublin, Birmingham and Newcastle” fluoridate their water. If this list is given in order to encourage Southampton to follow suit, I would point out that the vast majority of cities worldwide do not fluoridate their water, and there is no scientific evidence that their teeth are any worse than the cities that do. These non-fluoridated cities include: Albany (NY), Amsterdam, Antwerp, Athens, Basel, Beijing, Belfast, Bergen, Berlin, Bern, Bologna, Bombay, Bonn, Bremen, Brescia, Brussels, Calcutta, Cambridge, Cape Town, Cardiff, Carlisle, Cologne, Copenhagen, Christchurch, Delhi, Durban, Dusseldorf, Edinburgh, Florence, Frankfurt, Geneva, Genova, Hamburg, Helsinki, Innsbruch, Johannesburg, Kyoto, London, Lucca, Luxembourg, Lyon, Madras, Malmo, Marseilles, Milan, Monaco, Montreal, Moscow, Munich, Naples, Nice, Oslo, Osaka, Oxford, Padua, Paris, Prague, Pretoria, Quebec City, Reykjavik, Rome, Rotterdam, Rouen, Salzburg, St. Petersburg, Stockholm, Tallin, Tel Aviv, Tokyo, Trieste, Turin, Udine, Utrecht, Vancouver, Venice, Vienna, Warsaw, Wurtemburg, Yokohama, Zagreb, and Zurich.

I urge you to be very wary of following this bad American practice. In America, some of the worst tooth decay is occurring in cities which have been fluoridated for over 20 years. This is largely because America does a terrible job of getting dental care to families of low income. 80% of American dentists refuse to treat poor children on MedicAid. It is well established that there is a far greater relationship between poor dietary habits, and low income levels, than you will ever find with lack of ingested fluoride. In the US, and elsewhere, health authorities should find better ways of providing dental care for families of low income, as well as education for a better diet and dental habits, than wasting taxpayers dollars pursuing the myth of water fluoridation.

Paul Connett, PhD,
Executive Director,
Fluoride Action Network
315-379-9200
http://www.FluorideA

USA - Hastings Tribune on another fluoride vote

Hastings Tribune on another fluoride vote

HASTINGS _ We can hardly think of another issue that has more controversy decade after decade than that of fluoridating the city's water. It started back in 1955, and 53 years later, the same issue is once again prompting heated debates and talk of petitions.

On one side of the issue, proponents of fluoridated water say that fluoride, a naturally occurring mineral, promotes healthy teeth in everyone from children to the elderly by strengthening tooth enamel and reversing low levels of tooth decay.

While almost all water contains some amount of fluoride, the water in most communities does not have the levels necessary to affect tooth health, proponents say. In those cities, including in Hastings, many children are prescribed fluoride tablets and fluoridated toothpaste by their pediatricians or dentists.

In stark contrast are opponents who say fluoride is a poison that ranks just slightly less toxic than arsenic. It can cause everything from premature aging to weak bones to cancer, opponents say, citing the labels on fluoride toothpaste that warn against ingestion.

Other opponents have taken less of an alarmist stance, stating simply that taxpayers shouldn't bear the cost for the dental health of the entire community, and that residents who want to benefit from fluoride can do so on their own through toothpastes, mouthwashes and tablets.

With such strong opinions on each side, we are glad the Hastings City Council plans to put the issue on the ballot in November. The council already has done its part by its show of support of the legislative bill earlier this year. But the ultimate decision needs to be that of the voters.

Remarkably, this will be the fourth vote on the issue in 50 years, and opponents have won each time: in 1960, 1968 and again in 1974.

In each election, dentists and medical professionals from towns with fluoridated water, such as Superior, testified about the reduced cavity rate they had personally witnessed with the addition of fluoride.

But other dentists, lawyers and even a Hastings mayor testified that fluoride was a deadly poison, that it corroded water pipes, faucets and plumbing fixtures, and even that it had a communist influence.

The 1974 vote in opposition to fluoridating the city's water stood until this spring, when the Nebraska Legislature passed LB245. The law requires communities with more than 1,000 people to fluoridate their water supply by June 1, 2010, but cities can opt out of the law by a vote of the people.

We anticipate that besides the aforementioned arguments on both sides of the issue, the potential cost to taxpayers of fluoridating water will play a big part in how the election turns out. Hastings Utilities said that to add fluoride to each of the city's wells would cost more than $1 million, with an annual operating cost of $91,000.

On the other hand, if the city waits to add fluoride until a new water treatment facility is built in the next three to 10 years, the cost would be around $300,000, with annual operating costs of around $32,000.

We foresee those costs being a debilitating factor in combination with the current state of the economy and fuel prices.

Nevertheless, we hope the council decides to place the issue on the ballot and let voters once again make their voices heard. On an issue this controversial, we think a vote of the people isn't just the best way to decide the matter, it's the only way.

Friday, June 27, 2008

USA - Petition against fluoride started in Hastings

Petition against fluoride started in Hastings
(6/26/2008) By Ginger ten Bensel - A Hastings group that is against putting fluoride in their drinking water has some concerns tonight.
The group which is called Nebraskans For Safe Water says come November voters will be confused with the wording of the issue on the ballot.
That is why the group is starting their own petition. The city council voted to put fluoridation on the November ballot.
But one group says the wording for the ballot does not explain what kind of fluoride is being considered to be placed in the drinking water.
That is why they have started to circulate a petition. They are looking to get three thousand signatures to change the wording.
Butch Hughes is involved with circulating the petition and he feels it is important to educate people even more about the proposal to add fluoride to the drinking water.
Hughes says he is concerned about the effects of the kind of fluoride being proposed.
Mayor Matt Rossen says they are using the proper language on the ballet.

Hughes and others held a meeting tonight in Hastings about the petition.
He says they plan to start circulating the petition this weekend. They want all the signatures collected by August 1st.
Watch video

UK - US city mirrors Hampshire's fluoride debate

US city mirrors Hampshire's fluoride debate
By Lucy Clark
Comment | Read Comments (7)
AS the fluoride debate continues to rage in Southampton, a similar discussion is taking place across the pond.
Health chiefs in San Diego, one of America's biggest port cities, are also pushing ahead with plans to fluoridate their tap water.
Southampton's water supplies could be fluoridated by the end of the year if a public consultation this summer goes according to local health bosses' plans.
They want to add fluoride to the water to tackle tooth decay in the city, as dental health among under-fives in the city is well below the national average.
Andrew Mortimore, public health director at Southampton City Primary Care Trust, said: "It is interesting and timely that these two major ports here and in the USA should both be seeking to give their populations the same level of protection that millions of other people already enjoy in the UK and USA.

"While both San Diego and Southampton are both clearly lagging behind other places that applied fluoridation many years ago, this is an important public health commitment to improve dental health through this safe and effective public health measure."

Dr Barry Cockroft, England's chief dental officer, has also voiced his support of fluoridation for Southampton.
However, the moves have already proved highly controversial.
Members of Hampshire Against Fluoridation and fluoride expert Dr Paul Connett, director of A m e r i c a ' s Fluoride Action Network, have spoken out against the proposals.
Opponents have warned of health risks such as brittle bones and dental fluorosis.
Dr Connett said: "You are allowing the health authorities to do to the whole community what an individual doctor cannot do to anyone.
A doctor can't force medication on a patient."
Forty-six of the USA's largest cities already fluoridate their water. Other major cities that have fluoridation schemes include Sydney, Melbourne, Hong Kong, Dublin, Birmingham and Newcastle.
Dr Mortimore said: "Why should the people of Southampton and San Diego, and, in particular, their children, be denied an opportunity to reduce their risk of tooth decay and having those teeth filled or extracted? When we know that we could significantly and safely reduce those risks, it would be wrong of us not to propose the fluoridation of our water supplies."

UK - More Ohioans turning to ERs for dental procedures

More Ohioans turning to ERs for dental procedures
Published on Sunday Jun 15, 2008
More people without dental insurance are showing up in emergency rooms across the state to have infected teeth pulled, bleeding gums treated and other problems that could have been prevented with routine cleanings, doctors and health care officials said.
Emergency rooms aren't designed to provide routine dental care but are often the only option for some of the roughly 4 million Ohioans who don't have dental coverage. Doctors usually provide pain medication or antibiotics and refer patients to go to a dental clinic.
"Generally, we don't pull teeth in the emergency department," said Richard Nelson, vice chairman of emergency medicine at Ohio State University Medical Center.
But the state's 120 low-income dental clinics are often crowded and have waits of several days for an appointment.
Demand for dental care has grown while the number of dentists has not, said Mark Siegal, chief of the state's Bureau of Oral Health Services. And many dentists aren't willing to treat low-income patients who get their dental coverage through Medicaid since the state reimburses practitioners for only about half of treatment costs, he said.

Ohio has one dentist for every 1,882 people but the ratio is worse in some of the poorer parts of the state. In southern Ohio, for example, Vinton County has one dentist for every 6,715 residents. Meigs County has one for every 7,744.

Advocates for the dental industry and the poor have lobbied Ohio decision-makers, trying to convince them that cutting coverage for cleanings, crowns and caps for the poor only makes it more expensive for the state in the long-run.

Dental problems that go untreated can worsen diabetes, lead to the spreading of infections or heart malfunctions and, in pregnant women, cause low birth weight for their babies.
Advocates hope that legislators and Gov. Ted Strickland will follow through with a plan to restore cuts next month from the adult Medicaid dental program.
Medical and dental schools are emphasizing the connection between dental and medical issues, said Dr. David Heisel, dental director at Columbus Public Health.
"It's only over the last few years they've found out that the head was attached to the body," he said.

91% of Ohio is served fluoride chemicals in their tap water to prevent tooth decay:NYSCOF

Thursday, June 26, 2008

UK - Our booze shame

Our booze shame
By Steph Johnson
Last updated 13:49, Wednesday, 25 June 2008
The number of Cumbrians who end up in hospital because of alcohol related illnesses is 25 per cent higher than the national average.
Having a pintHealth Profiles released by the government yesterday reveal that Carlisle, Copeland and Allerdale are particular hotspots for boozers taking up NHS beds.
Binge drinking is higher than average in Copeland, Carlisle, Allerdale and Eden, which is in line with a rise in the county-wide rates over the last year.
The profiles show the prospects for a long and healthy life in parts of Cumbria are not as good as they are in the rest of the UK.
The number of deaths and injuries on the county’s roads is more than 40 per cent above the national average, with about 402 incidents each year.
The Department of Health also highlighted high levels of tooth decay in children living in Copeland and Allerdale, a finding likely to add bite to the debate over fluoridation of water supplies.
The government has said the practice improves oral health but West Cumbria has been adding fluoride to its tap water for years.
The profiles make grim reading for those living in Copeland and Carlisle, which according to DOH indicators are among the unhealthiest places in the country.
High levels of obesity, premature deaths and mental health issues are just some of the problems which are hitting parts of Cumbria harder than most.
In comparison Eden was top ranked in 15 of the 32 profile indicators.
Residents enjoy lower levels of teenage pregnancy, a longer life expectancy and there are fewer claims for mental health incapacity benefits.
Eden’s youngsters also have a better chance of success at GCSEs.
Copeland and Carlisle have high numbers of workers on low wages, deputy director of public health for Carlisle Dr Rebecca Wagstaff says this explains a lot of the findings as deprivation is linked to poor health.
Dr Wagstaff said resources are being channelled into tackling the major issues, with particular attention being paid to alcohol abuse through the Cumbria drink strategy.
She added: “There is also additional training for GPs and staff to help them work with people who drink too much.”
North West regional director of public health Dr Ruth Hussey says there are challenges ahead if the inequalities are to be addressed.
“A complex set of factors, including depravation and lifestyle, contribute to the major illnesses and diseases we face in our region and that is why the NHS is taking region-wide action with all our partners.”

SJohnson@cngroup.co.uk

UK - Bolton - Flouride should not be put in tap water

Flouride should not be put in tap water
By Nick Lakeman
FLUORIDE should not be put in tap water, a poll by a Bolton MP has revealed.
David Crausby said 95.8 per cent of people who replied to a survey in his Bolton North-east constituency were against fluoridation.
And he is backing Bolton Council's promise to have a referendum over the issue, despite the health industry's claims that mass medication' would improve dental health.
advertisementMr Crausby said: "The survey only went out to people in my consituency but thanks to the Bolton News reporting the fact that I was asking people for their views on fluoride, I have received letters from across Bolton and even from Bury and Manchester.
"People have even been calling in at my constituency office to register their concern."
Almost 700 residents returned a voting slip in the MP's most recent Parliamentary Report, which goes to every household in his constituency.
They were asked to tick a box saying if they agreed or not with fluoride being added to Bolton's tap water.
Mr Crausby said the vote, and any comments written on the slip, will be given to the health secretary, Alan Johnson, who in February pledged £42 million for areas who wanted fluoridation.
At present all the North-west Primary Care Trusts, which fund GP and dental care, are deciding their position through a Fluoridation Evaluation Group.
Those in favour say it would help improve on dental health while those against say it takes away people's choice and could be linked to cancer and bone problems.
Mr Crausby said he wanted everyone's opinion to be heard.
He said: "Opposing fluoridation is very difficult especially when you are up against the heavily financed pro-fluoride lobby.
"I don't want the local health big-wigs saying it's in people's best interests without giving them time to express their opinion.
"I don't argue against the health benefits, I argue simply on the right for individuals to decide what medication they have.
"Vaccinnations are very good for you but you wouldn't dream of injecting people by force so why is it okay to force fluoride into people's bodies in a different way?"
Conservative councillor Andy Morgan, who represents Bolton Council on the North West Councils Against Fluoridation committee said he was not surprised by the result of the poll.
He said: "Most people who have contacted me are against it.
"And if the people of Bolton say no', that will be the position of the council."
4:38pm Wednesday 25th June 2008

USA - Getting info on state's fluoridation plan is like pulling teeth

Getting info on state's fluoridation plan is like pulling teeth
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
By Kathryn Lucariello
EUREKA SPRINGS -- Alarmed by the appearance of a half-page ad promoting water fluoridation in the June 19 Lovely County Citizen and the June 20 Carroll County News, Carroll-Boone Water District (CBWD) Office Manager Jim Allison contacted this newspaper to inquire about whether it was a paid ad and its source.
The ad was sent by the Arkansas Press Association to its member newspapers and required to be run under a membership agreement.
The ad, which shows a child brushing her teeth, says, "got teeth? get fluoride! Water fluoridation is a safe, effective way to prevent tooth decay. Each dollar spent on fluoridation saves $39 in dental treatments. Tooth decay can be prevented."
It is sponsored by the Arkansas Department of Health and the Office of Oral Health, with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
An FOIA request to the state
Allison, along with 10 other water operators at CBWD, had already written a letter dated June 13 to Dr. Lynn Mouden, director of the state Office of Oral Health. He asked, under the Freedom of Information Act, whether new legislation is afoot in the state legislature to require fluoridation of the water supply and whether affected parties, such as water district operators, would be notified.
He said he had attended a class called, "Fluoridation in Arkansas: An Update" on April 28, presented by Glenn Greenway, at the 77th annual meeting of the American Water Works Association and the Water Environment Association in Hot Springs.
A cloak of secrecy
"Glenn indicated that mandatory fluoridation was to again be introduced to the State Legislature but when asked to further explain, Glenn said the class was about operations and he would not elaborate," Allison wrote.
He asked Mouden whether his department is in the process of introducing such legislation in the 2009 session and if so, at what point affected parties would be notified.
"They tried to sneak it through last time," he said, referring to legislation passed by the House in 2005 under "a cloak of secrecy" and not made public until it reached a Senate committee hearing.
At that hearing, Allison and fellow water operators testified as "adamantly opposed" to the state mandating water fluoridation, he said in his recent letter, "especially with the increased information learned since 2005 about the harmful effects of fluoride."
The measure failed.
Eureka's the 'no' vote
Of the four member cities that make up the Carroll-Boone Water District, only Eureka Springs voted against it two previous times. Without unanimous agreement, it could not pass and be added to- the water supply.
Allison was careful to say that he and his fellow operators do not officially represent the CBWD Board of Directors on the issue, but only themselves.
In his 2005 letter, he stated, "when the fluoride issue came up several years ago for the District, we, along with the citizens of Eureka Springs, began to research the fluoride issue and became disturbed by the information we were finding ... We are disturbed by the potential harm to our customers and operators for handling and consuming a poison more toxic than lead and just slightly less toxic than arsenic made from industrial waste."
Negative health effects
He noted training materials for water districts recommend the use of "bone char and bone meal to remove fluoride from the source point water. We know it to be a big leap, but do you suppose our bones are removing fluoride from our system much like the treatment process mentioned above."
Allison cited the American Dental Association's warning against mixing infant formula with fluoridated water and the fact that fluoride is not approved by the FDA.
On June 3 of this year, the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) released a position paper updating its statement about hemodialysis patients using fluoridated water. The paper noted that in a city that "accidentally" over-fluoridated its water, one patient died and several became severely ill.
The NKF advises that dialysis patients be warned of the risks of using fluoridated water for dialysis.
Although the NKF would not go so far as to recommend an "optimal level" of fluoridated water, it did state that its 1981 paper stating no risk from fluoridation was "outdated" and withdrawn.
Following that statement, the American Water Works Association was notified it must keep all documents related to fluoridation in case of possible lawsuits in the near future by kidney patients and others who might be harmed by the additive.
'We don't have to answer you'
Allison ended his June 13 letter to Mouden with, "The opposition to fluoride of every licensed operator at this facility has not changed and we plan to be in the fight against mandated fluoridation."
Allison received a reply Friday from the Arkansas Department of Health, informing him, "Your 'questions' do not meet the requirements of the (Freedom of Information) Act."

Australia - The Victorian Government is expected to start moves to fluoridate Mildura's water in three months.

The Victorian Government is expected to start moves to fluoridate Mildura's water in three months.
The Government has announced a start to public consultation about putting fluoride in the water at Kerang and Swan Hill, and consultation in Mildura will begin in August or September.
A spokesman says it is likely to be a year before fluoride is introduced if it is approved and Lower Murray Water's Ron Leamon says he has not been given a timetable.
"No we don't have a timetable for a go ahead if you like, the community consultation process is only just beginning now in Swan Hill and Kerang and will occur later this year for towns around Mildura," he said.

Magnesium Is Crucial to the Proper Functioning of a Healthy Body

...............The toxic effect of fluoride ions plays a key role in acute Mg deficiency. Fluoride ion clearly interferes with the biological activity of magnesium ions. In general, fluoride magnesium interactions decrease enzymatic activity.(7)

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

UK - Southampton blazes a trail in fluoride consultation

City blazes a trail in fluoride consultation
25th June 2008

Southampton is the first area in the UK to seek the public's views on adding flouride to their tap water since Health Minister Alan Johnson's ‘fluoridation for all' proposal in February.
Health chiefs in the city are to begin consultation next month.
move is in light of high levels of tooth decay there and coincides with the release of shocking pictures of children's rotten teeth by the city's Primary Care Trust (PCT) in a last-ditch attempt to turn around the city's poor oral health.
However, anti-fluoride campaigners are against the proposal, arguing that excessive fluoride has links with bone cancer and brittle bone disease as well as dental fluorosis that causes discolouring of the teeth and pitting of enamel.
Advertisement


The ‘tooth decay' photos – taken by local dentists – show the mouths of children whose teeth are filled with blackened stumps of decaying and diseased teeth.

And it's the alarmingly high number of infants with teeth in this state that are driving moves to add the fluoride.

Figures show that on average, five-year old children from Southampton have more than twice as many teeth affected by decay as those from fluoridated South Birmingham – and around three times more than those from fluoridated South Staffordshire, who have the best dental health in the country.

Efforts by Southampton City PCT to improve dental health via education and other initiatives, such as tooth-brushing schemes, have failed to make an impact.

Dr Andrew Mortimore, Public Health Director for Southampton City Primary Care Trust (PCT) says: ‘We are very pleased that following research into the feasibility and cost of water fluoridation, South Central Strategic Health Authority (SHA) have decided to plan a public consultation the outcome of which could significantly help improve the dental health of local people.
‘Southampton City PCT believes water fluoridation is the most effective way of reducing the large numbers of tooth fillings and extractions currently needed by children in Southampton.'

He adds: ‘Local dental health surveys show that oral health is poor with 42% of the City's children experiencing dental decay by the age of five.

‘This is clearly unacceptable when dental decay is a preventable disease. Everyone drinking fluoridated water – including children, adults and the elderly – will begin to benefit as soon as fluoridation is started and measurable benefits would be apparent in about five years.'

At present, the natural fluoride level in the city's water is too low to provide any protection to teeth.
However, if the fluoride is topped up to one part of fluoride per million parts of water, studies suggest that the average child is likely to have two fewer decayed teeth and that about 15% more children would be totally free from tooth decay.

Public consultation on a possible Southampton fluoridation scheme will last for three months.

No decisions will be made by the SHA until there is a thorough independent evaluation of the responses.

In February, Health Secretary Alan Johnson called for fluoride to be added to Britain's water supplies – backed by the British Dental Association (BDA).
But John Spottiswoode, chair of the pressure group Hampshire Against Fluoridation says: ‘I continue to be amazed at the one-sided way that people like the Health Secretary put the evidence on water fluoridation.

‘He quotes Birmingham as a good example of the effects of fluoridation. Well he actually knows that the best areas for tooth health in the UK are not fluoridated at all, and this situation applies in every country around the world. In fact, non-fluoridated Hampshire is also one of the best areas in England.
He adds: ‘OK, there are always some worse spots in cities, but use education to deal with it, not immoral mass medication with a highly toxic product.'
The government, however, sees fluoridation as an ‘effective and relatively easy way' to reduce tooth decay among children.
And the BDA adds weight to their proposal, saying that targeted water fluoridation helps fight against tooth decay, especially among poorer children.

Comments on this news article.
rlsm.taylor@talktalk.netThe
Surely the dental profession must be aware of the findings of the York Review. I contacted the York Review team to ask what the 15% figure meant exactly, and was told that the variation in results of the mediocre to poor studies that were all the Review found to exist meant that the figure is not accurate. The Review also found very little evidence to show that water fluoridation affected social inequalities in dental health, and were concerned at levels of fluorosis. They also dismissed the study/studies showing that the levels of dental health in Birmingham were as a result of water fluoridation.
Because of their concerns about the effect of fluoride chemicals on kidneys and the endocrine system, the NRC Panel recommended that the Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG) of fluoride in water, should be set below 2, and then a margin of safety should be applied. For variations in the human population, and to protect the most vulnerable, a margin of safety of at least 10 should be applied, which should bring the MCLG down to 0.2 or 0.2ppm.
Why has the dental profession been brainwashed into this insane position of pushing for our water to be contaminated. What would happen to the career of a dentist who opposed water fluoridation?

UK - Southampton Echo "In my view"

Australia - Kerang, Swan Hill to get fluoridated water

Kerang, Swan Hill to get fluoridated water
Posted 9 hours 55 minutes ago
Fluoride is to be introduced to the water supplies at Kerang and Swan Hill.
The Department of Human Services is introducing the water fluoridation of drinking supplies to another group of towns across Victoria.
The plans have previously prompted strong debate in towns including Robinvale, but the Government says there is now a huge body of evidence showing it is safe and prevents tooth decay.
The department's Dr Chrissie Pickin says information will be distributed to residents and information sessions will be held next month for residents to ask questions.
"There's now overwhelming evidence that this is safe and effective and most people we know will welcome this and many have actually been waiting for it and pressing for it to start the process as soon as possible," she said.

I wonder?

Fluoride in Drinking Water

Fluoride in Drinking Water
Fluorine is an essential trace element and as fluoride it is a natural constituent of all water and some foods. However, the amounts found from "natural" sources are often not sufficient to help develop decay-resistant teeth and strong bones. Fluoridation is an adjustment of fluoride levels in the water supply to a level of 0.7 to 1.2 parts of fluoride per million parts (ppm) of water.
Description
Fluoride ingested in water that has been fluoridated is completely safe. Fluoridation reduces tooth decay by 50 to 70 percent, depending on how soon after birth one uses fluoridated water on a daily basis. Fluoride's effectiveness is ongoing as long as an individual continues to receive fluoridated water. There are substitutes for fluoridation in the form of fluoride drops, and fluoride tablets. Toothpastes and mouthwashes containing fluoride and dental treatments with topical fluoride solutions help to potentiate the benefits of fluoridation. But none of the substitutes are as effective as fluoridation, and all are more expensive. In addition to greatly reducing tooth decay, fluoridated water helps decrease the prevalence and severity of osteoporosis, a common disease of aging. By the mid-1950s, the results of decade-long controlled studies of water-supply fluoridation had established beyond a doubt both the effectiveness and the safety of fluoridation in reducing tooth decay. The practice was - and continues to be - endorsed by the American Medical Association, American Dental Association, the U.S. Public Health Service, and the National Research Council. Only fluoride taken internally, whether in drinking water or dietary supplements, can strengthen babies' and children's developing teeth to resist decay. Once the teeth have erupted, they are beyond the help of ingested fluoride. For both children and adults, fluoride applied to the surface of the teeth can nonetheless add protection, at least to the outer layer of enamel, and it has unquestionably played a role in reducing decay. T The most familiar form, of course, is fluoride-containing toothpaste, introduced in the early 1960s. Fluoride rinses are also available, as are applications by dental professionals. All these products are regulated by the FDA. They are considered effective adjuncts to ingested fluoride - and they are the only useful sources of tooth-strengthening fluoride for teenagers and adults.

Click title to see video - one sided pro fluoride propaganda. 60% improvement!

USA - Water district manager: Ads are prelude to mandatory fluoridation attempt

Water district manager: Ads are prelude to mandatory fluoridation attempt
Tuesday, June 24, 2008 ~ Updated 4:46 PMKathryn Lucariello, Carroll County News
EUREKA SPRINGS -- Alarmed by the appearance of a half-page ad promoting water fluoridation in the June 19 Lovely County Citizen (the ad also appeared in this newspaper June 20), Carroll-Boone Water District (CBWD) Office Manager Jim Allison contacted this newspaper Friday to inquire about whether it was a paid ad and its source.
The ad was sent by the Arkansas Press Association to its member newspapers and required it be run under a membership agreement.
The ad, which shows a child brushing her teeth, says, "got teeth? get fluoride! Water fluoridation is a safe, effective way to prevent tooth decay. Each dollar spent on fluoridation saves $39 in dental treatments. Tooth decay can be prevented."
It is sponsored by the Arkansas Department of Health and the Office of Oral Health, with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Allison, along with 10 other water operators at CBWD, had already written a letter dated June 13 to Dr. Lynn Mouden, director of the state Office of Oral Health. He asked, under the Freedom of Information Act, whether new legislation is afoot in the state legislature to require fluoridation of the water supply and whether affected parties, such as water district operators, would be notified.
He said he had attended a class called, "Fluoridation in Arkansas: An Update" on April 28, presented by Glenn Greenway, at the 77th annual meeting of the American Water Works Association and the Water Environment Association in Hot Springs.
"Glenn indicated that mandatory fluoridation was to again be introduced to the State Legislature but when asked to further explain, Glenn said the class was about operations and he would not elaborate," Allison wrote.
He asked Mouden whether his department is in the process of introducing such legislation in the 2009 session and if so, at what point affected parties would be notified.
"They tried to sneak it through last time," he said, referring to legislation passed by the House in 2005 under "a cloak of secrecy" and not made public until it reached a Senate committee hearing.
At that hearing, Allison and fellow water operators testified as "adamantly opposed" to the state mandating water fluoridation, he said in his recent letter, "especially with the increased information learned since 2005 about the harmful effects of fluoride."
The measure failed.
Of the four member cities that make up the Carroll-Boone Water District, only Eureka Springs voted against it two previous times. Without unanimous agreement, it could not pass and be added to the water supply.
Allison was careful to say that he and his fellow operators do not officially represent the CBWD Board of Directors on the issue, but only themselves.
In his 2005 letter, he stated, "when the fluoride issue came up several years ago for the District, we along with the citizens of Eureka Springs, began to research the fluoride issue and became disturbed by the information we were finding.... We are disturbed by the potential harm to our customers and operators for handling and consuming a poison more toxic than lead and just slightly less toxic than arsenic made from industrial waste."
He noted training materials for water districts recommend the use of "bone char and bone meal to remove fluoride from the source point water. We know it to be a big leap, but do you suppose our bones are removing fluoride from our system much like treatment process mentioned above."
Allison cited the American Dental Association's warning against mixing infant formula with fluoridated water and the fact that fluoride is not approved by the FDA.
On June 3 of this year, the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) released a position paper updating its statement about hemodialysis patients using fluoridated water. The paper noted that in a city that "accidentally" over-fluoridated its water, one patient died and several became severely ill.
The NKF advises that dialysis patients be warned of the risks of using fluoridated water for dialysis.
Although the NKF would not go so far as to recommend an "optimal level" of fluoridated water, it did state that its 1981 paper stating no risk from fluoridation was "outdated" and was withdrawn.
Following that statement, the American Water Works Association was notified it must keep all documents related to fluoridation in case of possible lawsuits in the near future by kidney patients and others who might be harmed by the additive.
Allison ended his June 13 letter to Mouden with, "The opposition to fluoride of every licensed operator at this facility has not changed and we plan to be in the fight against mandated fluoridation."
Allison received a reply Friday from the Arkansas Department of Health, informing him, "Your 'questions' do not meet the requirements of the (Freedom of Information) Act."

JimSchultz
The CDC is ramping up mandatory fluoridation as citizens are becoming informed of the many issues and it often can be mandated with The ADA big money lobby. The science should be looked at instead of the old theory and ancient design bias studies that proved nothing but studies can be fixed just like horse races. Do cities really need all the problems that FSA H2SiF6 bring along with the fluoride? Nothing is better to increase the corrosion ability of water to leach lead from brass, solder and even attack copper pipe. Actually adding chloramine does that as Washington DC discovered when they switched from chlorine. It took them over two years to discover out of control lead levels at homes but they attemped to blame the entire problem on some lead supply lines. DC utilities with the EPA did an excellent coverup and ignored the out of control lead in the majority of the city and instead only warned the 25,000 with lead supply lines. The fired the corrosion expert for being honest and waited a year to test blood lead levels and flushed schools the night before lead tests to get safe results. See Maas 2007 for study showing up to 900% increase in lead from leaching. See fluoridealert.org for researcher and EPA videos JimSchultz

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Hastings Video

Click on title to see video - it is worth seeing.

Canada - The Iron Man passes

The Iron Man passes
Walter Chisholm served 38 years on city council
Posted By Elaine Della-MattiaPosted 3 hours ago
A long-time city councillor has died.
Walter Chisholm, affectionately called the Iron Man, passed away Sunday. He was 88.
He leaves behind seven children, 17 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.
Flags at the Civic Centre were at half staff Monday.
Chisholm served as a Ward 5 councillor for 38 years, 1957 to 1978 and then from 1981 to 1997.
Known for his Tartan jackets and his “iron ore in reserve” slogan, Chisholm was considered a member of the Old Boy’s Club who served Ward 5 residents with extreme dedication, said Ward 1 Coun. Steve Butland.
Ward 6 Coun. Frank Manzo said he and Chisholm served 26 years together on council and were good friends.
The two served on committees including the N.E. Region Development Council, the Planning Board, the development of the Group Health Centre and the Conservation Authority, among others.
Chisholm was also a member of the 4th Degree Knights of Columbus and a Naval Veteran.
“I really miss Walter,” Manzo said.
Chisholm ran for mayor in the 1978 municipal election and will be remembered for his tactics around the council table.

“He often pretended he didn’t understand what was going on, but he knew exactly what was going on,” Butland said. “He was as sly as a fox.”
Butland recalls one council meeting when fluoride in water was a topic of discussion.
Chisholm was the first to oppose it and put a bottle of fluoride on the table which was labelled “poison.”
“We made the national news that night,” Butland said.
Two years ago, Chisholm was honoured with a lifetime achievement award by the Ontario Long Term Care Association after being nominated by staff at his home at the Extendicare Van Daele Manor.
Chisholm was born in 1920 and raised in the farming community of Goderich, Ont.
He left home to sail the Great Lakes and settled in Sault Ste. Marie in 1943.
Chisholm spent most of his career working as a pipefitter at Algoma Steel.
Visitation will be at the Northwood Funeral Home on Wednesday from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m., with funeral services the following day at 11 a.m. in the chapel.

USA - Hastings: Fluoridated water up for vote

Hastings: Fluoridated water up for vote
(6/23/2008) By Travis Klanecky – People in Hastings will get a chance to decide whether Fluoride will be put in their drinking water.
At Monday night’s City Council meeting, council members voted 7 to nothing to put the issue on the November ballot.
Council members say it is a controversial issue and it is one the people should decide.
Under a new state law towns with a thousand people or more must fluoridate their water.They can opt out, but they have to do so by June of 2010

UK - Southampton, Education is the answer

Education is the answer
AGED nearly 80 and with a thyroid problem and no natural teeth, I cannot understand why I should be compelled to have fluoride in my drinking water.
I suggest solving bad dental health in the majority of cases, is education, and the use of toothbrush and paste combined with a sensible diet.
This would not involve those who do not need this dental treatment.
advertisementThose who are responsible for making the final decision to add fluoride to drinking water must be absolutely sure it will have no detrimental effect on health.
F DOWN, Sholing, Southampton.
3:41pm Monday 23rd June 2008

Monday, June 23, 2008

USA - Fluoride's glory may be cresting

Fluoride's glory may be cresting
Opposition to chemical presence in water supply gains voice in the city where it all started
By Tim Jones | Tribune correspondent
1:38 AM CDT, June 23, 2008
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.—The great American assault on tooth decay began here 63 years ago, earning Grand Rapids a special place in the annals of dental history: the first city in the world to fluoridate its public water system.

So it is more than a little head-scratching that fluoride, the chemical widely credited with dramatically cutting cavities and promoting oral hygiene, is having its scientific credentials questioned in the city that literally swallowed it first.

The belated questioning of fluoride in the most unlikely of places stems partly from unsettled questions—some new, some old—about possible links to cancer and thyroid and kidney problems if too much fluoride is ingested. But the push here mirrors a spreading nationwide awareness and re-examination of the health impact of a wide variety of chemicals added to food, health-care products and water, as well as the use of pesticides.
Unusual findings
Local and state governments around the nation are taking a second — and in some cases a first — look at chemical practices and their potential impact. A county in Utah has stopped encouraging people to flush unused prescription drugs down the toilet because they might contaminate the water system. That action was taken after a report from the U.S. Geological Survey found chemicals from prescription drugs in streams and rivers.
Related links
Fluoride in our water supplies A Tribune examination of Chicago's drinking water this year found traces of pharmaceuticals and personal-care products.
In California, several communities are cracking down on aerial pesticide spraying because of its potential impact on humans and animals. Experts predict that in-depth examinations of chemicals formerly considered benign will become more frequent.

"I think this pattern has been growing because there is better environmental health research that draws connections between low levels of chemical exposure and changes in our bodies," said Dr. Howard Hu, chairman of environmental health sciences at the University of Michigan.

"As the research has become more sophisticated, it shows that environmental toxicants can do other things beyond just kill you—they can stunt your growth, change behavior and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease," Hu said.
'On my radar screen'
Fluoride fights stretch back more than a half-century. Recent studies, though, suggest a possible link to thyroid trouble and problems for people on dialysis. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention maintains that water fluoridation is a safe and cost-effective way to prevent tooth decay, but some scientists say questions about the long-term impact cannot be dismissed.
Recent studies, while not conclusive, convinced Corky Overmyer, the director of environmental sustainability for Grand Rapids, that a review was needed to study fluoride's impact on the 11 communities served by the city's water system.
"This has been on my radar screen for a while," said Overmyer, who several years ago led the effort to remove chlorine from the city's water. Overmyer insists he has drawn no conclusions about the safety of fluoride.

Grand Rapids commemorates the 1945 fluoridation with a 30-foot sculpture in the heart of downtown, and the questioning of fluoride has stirred controversy. Dentists have doubted or condemned the effort, and the Grand Rapids Press counseled caution in an editorial.
Grand Rapids, long known as a furniture-making city, is working to reinvent itself as a center of medical research. The timing of the fluoride examination is, at best, awkward because some of the most prominent groups in the medical establishment—the American Dental Association, the American Medical Association and the CDC—have endorsed fluoride.
"They tend to look at little bits of information that are taken out of context," Dr. Howard Pollick, a dentist and chief spokesman for the ADA, said of fluoride opponents.
Overmyer said he is taking heat.
"I had no idea [fluoride] was that sensitive an issue," he said, noting he has "teeth marks" in his backside from his dentist and the city's mayor, who declined to return phone calls to discuss fluoride.

About two-thirds of Americans, including those in Chicago and most major metropolitan areas, are served by fluoridated water. Resistance to fluoride usually is localized, with battles occurring in small towns. In May, voters in two Massachusetts towns overwhelmingly rejected efforts to fluoridate the water.

The Internet has effectively re-energized the former ragtag group of activists by making new information—valid or not—instantly available.

And the re-examination by Grand Rapids, the mother of fluoride, has provided an unanticipated boost for opponents.
"If Grand Rapids falls, that could be the beginning of the end of fluoride," said Paul Connett, a retired chemistry professor and director of the Fluoride Action Network, which advocates against fluoridation.
There is strong political and medical resistance to reversing the fluoride policy. Dr. Tim Gietzen, who has practiced dentistry in Grand Rapids for 30 years, said he can tell which of his patients grew up with fluoridated water just by looking in their mouths.
Gietzen said fluoride should remain in the water system "unless someone is causing problems."
That's the question to be pursued by Overmyer, who said, "I'm just trying to be honest and open, and I've become a lightning rod."

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Southampton letters





Letter in the Lymington Times from Anthony and a letter in the Echo.

IOM - VICTORY AT LAST!

VICTORY AT LAST!

On Thursday June 12th 2008 the IOM DHSS announced via press release that they have officially abandoned all plans to fluoridate the Manx water supply, the decision was backed by the Council of Ministers.

The efforts to fluoridate the Manx water supply began back in September 2003 so this represents the end of a 5 year battle.

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all who have contributed to this massive success especially John Graham, Dr Paul Connett, Grant McPherson, Quintin Gill MHK, George Glasser, Doug Cross, Liz Vaughan, Ian Packington, Dr Peter Mansfield, David Gear, Doug & Manna Bairstow, Dawn Taylor, Dr Hans Moolenburgh, Walter Graham, Robert Pocock, Mary Hillary, Bruce Spittle, Dr A.K. Susheela, Jane Barham, Dr Adam Standring, Cathy and Wayne Justus, Janet Bridle, Leslie Hanson, Dr Mark Draper, Elizabeth McDonagh, PSM Commissioners, Ramsey Commissioners, IOM F.O.E., Glynne, Krista, Graham, Eva and to the many other concerned Manx citizens and organisations who helped by handing out leaflets, spreading the word on the issue, writing letters to the press and government, making calls to the radio, voting 'no' in the poll and by donating funds to the campaign. Also thanks to our friends and family for putting up with all that a long campaign brings. We would like to dedicate this victory for common sense and democracy to you all and in memory of Jane Jones of the NPWA who was so helpful and inspiring in the early days of our campaign.

Thank you all

Kevin Glynn & Greeba Skinner

I just hope we can report the same in Southampton January 2009

ALONG FOR FLUORIDE AS BRITAINS FACE MASS MEDICATION OF TOXIC WATER ADDITIVE

Home | Friday 20th June 2008 | Issue 636
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ALONG FOR FLUORIDE
AS BRITAINS FACE MASS MEDICATION OF TOXIC WATER ADDITIVE
If you knew that someone was putting poison into your water supply, what would you do? Call the authorities? Well don’t bother cos it’s the government wot’s doing it!

If you live in the West Midlands or the North East, the chances are that you already have a fluoridated water supply - and comments earlier this year from Health Secretary Alan Johnson made it clear that he is keen to see this toxic industrial waste added to everyone else’s water as soon as possible. Why? He believes that it is a ‘key means of tackling tooth decay’ – despite the fact that no scientific evidence bears this out, and much other evidence has emerged linking fluoride ingestion to bone deficiencies, cancer, joint pain, skin rash, damage to thyroid glands and even IQ deficits.

So what’s going on? Well, Alan Johnston has swallowed the arguments put forward by the dental and pharmaceutical lobbying groups, all of which have been exported here from the US where, since the 1940s, they have managed to get over 70% of water fluoridated. It’s just science they say – fluoride was shown in the mid-1930’s to have a beneficial effect on the incidence of children’s tooth decay, so why not add it at source and protect everyone’s teeth without them having to do a thing?

But this mass medication argument has more holes in than my sugar-addled teeth. Number one is obviously, er, mass medication? Unknown dosage level (everyone’s water consumption is different) and without the patients’ consent? Since when was that normal practice? You don’t forcefeed people aspirin because one of them may be experiencing a headache... it’s illogical and wasteful – not to mention people’s rights to refuse medication.

In fact, a dip in the scientific fluoride literature is like diving into a very muddy pool, reminiscent of the ‘smoking is not really bad for you’ or ‘climate change isn’t really happening’ debates of recent decades. This alone should be ringing the alarm bells. Many studies do suggest that ‘topical’ application of fluoride, i.e. applying it to the teeth directly by way of toothpaste etc does have some beneficial effect on cavity rates, although these don’t attempt to separate out all the other factors which may play a part in tooth health, like diet, or attempt to discover other ways of achieving the same benefits. While fluoride is proven (and accepted by all) to cause dental fluorosis (pitted or mottled tooth enamel) – now widespread in American mouths - little high quality study has been done on other side effects like bone deterioration or cancers, which may mean a slightly healthier smile is far outweighed by a shorter diseased life.

And the story with applying the fluoride by drinking it in water is even cloudier. There is no unequivocal proof that it works. In fact, since large parts of America started sipping it in the 1950s, numerous studies have shown that, all else being equal, tooth decay rates for fluoridated and non-fluoridated water areas are, er, exactly the same – or in some cases even higher in fluoridated areas! This has led to nearly all of Europe long since abandoning the practice – but it seems that governments in the UK (10% fluoridated) and Ireland (72%) just can’t resist the persuasive American connection.

If you were of a slightly cynical mind (who us?!), it would almost seem that nobody at the top wants to hear any evidence contradicting the fluoride dogma. The approved studies are designed (and funded) purely to decide whether adding fluoride for teeth can be considered ‘a good thing’. This is the result demanded by big business eager to turn an expensive-to-get-rid-of toxic industrial waste product (left over in pesticide production, aluminium processing and nuclear uranium enriching, amongst other things) into a ‘miracle’ health ingredient to be boxed up, re-branded and sold back in small amounts to the general public in return for a handsome profit. Well you can see their logic. Two birds with one stone and profits up. No wonder that the many more recent long term-studies and peer-reviews of past data showing no provable benefits (and many possible negatives) are swiftly discredited or ignored.

CLOSE TO THE BONE

And there are other (presumably weakened, deteriorating) skeletons in the closet. In 1997, two American journalists dug out previously classified documents revealing how fluoride policy and research was shaped by atom bomb making at the end of the Second World War. The first court cases against the government from people affected by living near to the bomb making facilities were not for the effects of radiation, but for damage to crops from fluoride pollution.

The secret ‘Manhattan Project’ memos – the group of government and industrial capitalists running the development of the nuclear option – show that they knew about the problems and commissioned pro-fluoride research merely to help fight these and future possible court cases. Despite editorial approval and full referencing, the damning article was dropped by the Christian Science Monitor and never widely published.

Despite Birmingham and other areas’ water being contaminated, no new UK regions have joined them since the mid 1980s when the rollout was put on hold. But the threat is back. In 1993, despite no demand, the government passed an act giving regional strategic health authorities (SHA) the power to compel water to be fluoridated. It must have been frustrating for them and their corporate sponsors that, to date, not one of them has done so. So it seems like a whole new round of propaganda and pressure is about to be applied. Anti-fluoride action groups have sprung up around the country (see www.hampshireagainstfluoridation.blogspot.com and www.freewebs.com/keepwatersafe for example) who are working to try and ensure that nobody else is unwillingly force-fed this harmful toxic poison for no health benefit. As recent studies in China and Mexico have shown a link between fluoride consumption and lower IQ scores, maybe they’re just out to keep us all dumb...?

* There’s tons more info to get yer teeth into at www.freewebs.com/keepwatersafe and www.fluoridealert.org

USA - Professionals Ask Governor Jindal to Veto Unfair Fluoridation Bill

Professionals Ask Governor Jindal to Veto Unfair Fluoridation Bill
NEW YORK, June 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Many professionals
world-wide are calling on Louisiana Governor Jindal to veto a bill which
would force fluoridation on almost the whole state. SB 312 was quietly
pushed through the legislature by PR firms without most Louisianans knowing
it was happening. The professionals are asking Jindal to use his veto in
the interest of fairness. Citizens should have been part of this discussion
but they were not.

Fluoride is added to water ostensibly to reduce tooth decay but
according to many professionals contacting Jindal, recent evidence
indicates that fluoride poses many health dangers (NRC, 2006).

Paul Connett, PhD, Director, Fluoride Action Network asks, "If
fluoridation is a source of pride to the dental lobby why didn't they
present their case openly and allow the legislators to hear experts from
both sides? The public should be fully informed about measures that could
adversely affect their health. This shouldn't be done by stealth."

Among professionals writing to Jindal are Dr. Kathleen Thiessen, and
Dr. Robert Issacson, panel members of "Fluoride in Drinking Water," a
landmark review by the National Research Council (NRC, 2006); Dr. Doug
Everingham, a former Australian Health Minister and Dr. Vyvyan Howard,
president of the International Society of Doctors for the Environment. They
are among 1700 professionals calling for an end to water fluoridation
worldwide. See http://www.FluorideAlert.org

With American Dental Association funding, the Louisiana Dental
Association (LDA), hired public relations and lobbying firms to promote the
fluoridation bill. The LDA boasts that they have huge access to
legislators. On their website they state that their activities include "the
use of staff and contract lobbyists, governmental publications, legislative
reporting service, dinners for legislators, Dentists' Day at the
Legislature, and VoterVOICE!"

Connett says, "In the interest of fairness, Governor Jindal should Veto
the fluoridation bill, so that citizens can find out what fluoridation
entails and allow legislators to hear the latest evidence of fluoride's
dangers. Governor Jindal has been tipped as a future leader and more than
anything else people expect leaders to act fairly."

The Fluoride Action Network asks all concerned citizens to contact Gov.
Jindal to veto SB 312 by sending an online message at
http://la2.fluoridealert.org or phoning 225-342-7015 or 866-366-1121.

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Andy Burnham: The Mr Nice Guy who talked his way into a nasty situation

.............He took up the controversial cause of fluoridation for the West Lancashire water supply to cut dental decay when he entered Parliament, and later became parliamentary private secretary to David Blunkett...........

We have to "thank" Mr Burnham for the recent fluoridation attempt in the IOM and now Southampton.

UK - Mayor of London Boris Johnson

...........................And not only to have more public conveniences, but in an age when bottled water has become taboo and when alcohol has been banned on public transport, to have a new crop of drinking fountains across the city and I don’t think I am betraying confidences if I say that if we can make sure there isn’t too much fluoride in the water we can have the support that vital architecture critic of the Prince of Wales. ..............................

What did he mean - does Charles oppose fluoridation?

USA - San Diego Opts for Fluoridation in Water Supply

San Diego Opts for Fluoridation in Water Supply, But California Still Lags in National Rankings
In a California Healthline Special Report, experts on dental health and water supply discuss efforts to provide fluoridated water to Californians, following through on what CDC calls one of the 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century.

The Special Report includes comments from:

Don Lyman, division chief for chronic disease and injury control at the California Department of Public Health;
Jon Roth, executive director of the California Dental Association Foundation; and
Brad Sherwood, spokesperson for the Sonoma County Water Agency.

In 1995, the California Legislature passed a law requiring water agencies with more than 10,000 connections to inject fluoride into the water when money becomes available to do so. Citing statistics showing fluoridated water reduces cavities -- especially in children -- by as much as 50%, proponents are campaigning throughout the state to add fluoride to drinking water.

Now that San Diego has approved plans to add fluoride to its water, Santa Clara County and the Central Valley are the next likely sites for fluoridation, according to the California Dental Association Foundation (Rebillot, California Healthline, 6/20).

Alaska - Residents seek to repeal fluoride ordinance

Residents seek to repeal fluoride ordinance
By Rebecca George
Published Friday, June 20, 2008
Juneau residents succeeded in repealing a fluoridation ordinance in their city, and now Ronald Lee Warner II is trying to do the same in Fairbanks.
A divided Fairbanks City Council voted in March to continue adding fluoride to the water supply, rejecting a measure to repeal the ordinance.
Councilwoman Vivian Stiver introduced the ordinance to repeal the 48-year-old practice of fluoridating city water.
Some borough residents are now joining in on the city debate because their former water supplier, College Utilities, merged with Golden Heart Utilities and they are now receiving fluoridated water.
“This will be a city initiative; however, many borough residents will be watching closely because they purchase city water, or drink city water if they come to town to work or eat,” Warner said.
Warner believes the quality of Fairbanks water will be significantly improved.
“This will mark Fairbanks as a community that pays attention to science,” he said.
The American Dental Association reports that 67 percent of American communities have public fluoridated water.
The main controversy with fluoride stems from sodium fluoride, the main ingredient in rat poison. Fluoride in large doses can be toxic.
However, at an average of 1.0 parts per million, the amount of fluoride used in public water systems is well below toxic levels, according to a statement released by Golden Heart Utilities.
Studies and research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and by the American Dental Association have shown fluoridation to be one of the most effective public health measures to decrease dental-related illnesses and the costs associated with it. But the debate behind fluoridation of a public water supply, for Warner, isn’t necessarily about the potential health impacts on the body but rather on the lack of an option to have fluoridated water.
“It’s basically government-mandated medication, and there are many of us who don’t agree with that,” he said.
Warner submitted an initiative application to the city clerk earlier this week signed by 10 sponsors.
After sponsoring signatures are verified by the city, the 10 initiative sponsors will have 90 days to collect signatures from city residents petitioning that the fluoride issue be placed on the October ballot. The city of North Pole and the University of Alaska Fairbanks do not fluoridate their water supply.

America tanks

America went the exact wrong direction in 2000 and in 2004. Bush and his ultra right wing criminal/terrorist network have wasted trillions of taxpayer dollars on the military state security complex and on the needless mass surveillance of the citizenry.

This administration has created a sprawling prison industrial system that houses 30 percent of the world's prison population and has spawned a genocidal war in the Middle East that has cost the lives of up to 2 million innocent Iraqi men, women and children this past 5 years.

If Al Gore had been president — and he won the presidency in 2000 — we would have been well on our way to solving the supreme international security threat of global warming. Most likely, we would have evolved into a more euro-centric type of economy of small cars, more efficient transportation grids and more intelligently designed green ecologically-oriented living environments.

But now, all that is lost and the dollar is crashing. Idiot Americans drive around in 10 mpg SUVs at $4 per gallon.

A glut of keystone cops run around spying and surveilling us at every turn. Our food and water are filled with cancer-causing chemicals and fluoride, giving us terminal diseases while enlarging the coffers of the health, medical and pharmaceutical industries.

One out of 10 college graduates today are being groomed to enter the newly-designed Homeland Security Complex to fight a non-existent War on Terror.

Meanwhile the entire U.S. financial system is tanking.

We'll be lucky if we make it through the summer without a major financial collapse — plunging us into a global depression.

UK - No flouride in Manx water

Click title to see video unable to embed file

Friday, June 20, 2008

UK - Southampton Echo - In my view

Fluoride: Deadly Poison

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Australia - Geelong to have flouride in its water within a year

Geelong to have flouride in its water within a year
Peter Begg
19Jun08
GEELONG'S water is expected to be fluoridated by this time next year, with infrastructure now being developed.
A spokesman for the state health department said yesterday Geelong would need at least three fluoride treatment plants for the project because of the configuration of its water supply.
The city's water is drawn from the Barwon catchment to the west and the Moorabool catchment to the north.
Fluoridation equipment was installed at Anakie, She Oaks and Wurdee Boluc Reservoir in 1986, but union bans stopped their commissioning just days before the tap was turned on, and the original equipment was dismantled many years ago.
Barwon Water managing director Michael Malouf said yesterday the authority was developing designs and getting estimates for new equipment.
"The next stage will be to seek agreement from the Department of Human Services before proceeding," he said.
While the DHS will foot the $500,000 bill for each water treatment plant, Barwon Water will call for the public tenders to carry out the work.
Anti-fluoride groups have continued to campaign against the medication, and have been joined by a new group running its own referendum on the debate. Voice set up a tent at Beckley Park Market last Saturday collecting signatures for its referendum. The group's Geelong co-ordinator, Anna Michalik, said the majority of people voting opposed fluoridation.
Ms Michalik said the group was more about people's democratic rights than the fluoride debate, but hoped to gain enough signatures to mount a High Court challenge.
The Barwon Association for Freedom from Fluoridation's David McRae welcomed Voice to the debate.
The health department's fluoridation timetable aim for the plants to be in operation well before Geelong is connected to Melbourne's water supply through an $80 million pipeline.
The water pumped from Melbourne to Geelong will also be fluoridated.
The State Government said work on the Melbourne-Geelong pipeline would start mid-2010, and Mr Malouf said Barwon Water was now working through the estimates of capital costs.
"The terms and conditions relating to use of the pipeline, which forms part of the Victorian Government's policy to expand the state water grid, have not been finalised," he said.

USA - Chattanooga: State strengthening dental health services

Chattanooga dentist Dr. Ruth Lima shakes her head when recalling teeth she has seen in the mouths of elementary school students.

“Some of them are very, very badly broken down,” she said. “They’ve been going to class. They’re in pain.”

Recently Dr. Lima had to remove six of a student’s baby teeth that were rotted “down to the gumline,” she said.

“Here we are in this day and age with fluoride and all the education — you would think you wouldn’t see that,” she said. “My focus is to try to get this child back to good oral health.”............................

Even though Tennessee is 96% fluoridated:NYSCOF

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

UK - Calls to copy IOM rejection of fluoridation

I'll add link to Click title to go to Echo page

USA - Dental clinics try to fill care gap as poor turn to ERs

Dental clinics try to fill care gap as poor turn to ERs
Sunday, June 15, 2008 3:33 AM
By Suzanne Hoholik

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH The emergency room is no place to have an infected tooth pulled or bleeding gums treated, but people who can't afford regular visits to the dentist routinely show up at hospitals for care.
Some ERs have dentists or oral surgeons on staff or on call, but their job is treating patients with trauma injuries, not routine dental care.
About 1.2 million Ohioans lack medical insurance; an estimated 4 million lack dental coverage.
Most of those who show up at Ohio State University Medical Center with emergency dental problems could have prevented them with routine care, such as cleanings, said Dr. Richard Nelson, vice chairman of emergency medicine.
"The tooth is so decayed that it has to be pulled … but generally, we don't pull teeth in the emergency department," he said.
Instead, ER doctors might give patients pain medication or an antibiotic to treat an infection and tell them to see a dentist or go to a dental clinic the next day.
Ohio has about 120 dental clinics for low-income patients, including sites at Ohio State, Columbus Public Health and the East Central Health Center.

But clinics can be crowded, and it often takes several days to get in for an appointment. That has some people putting off care even longer, especially if drugs temporarily ease the pain.

Columbus Ohio is fluoridated:NYSCOF

Australia - Residents attack fluoridation consultation

Residents attack fluoridation consultation
Posted Tue Jun 17, 2008 9:46am AEST
A Castlemaine group has accused the Department of Human Services (DHS) of providing little consultation on the fluoridation of drinking water supplies in the area.
The Castlemaine Safe Water Action Group says the decision to fluoridate supplies from the end of the month has shocked residents.
Castlemaine, Campbells Creek, Fryerstown, Maldon and Elphinstone will be among 10 towns affected.
The group's convenor, Debbie Smith, says two information sessions on the plan were poorly advertised and attended.
She says research on the benefits of fluoridation for dental health are inconclusive.
"The DHS have been stretching the truth all the way down the line on fluoridation, on its safety and its efficiency, all those sort of things, it [is] annoying people and thinking people especially," she said.
Meanwhile, dentists say there is strong data to support the fluoridation of drinking water supplies in the Castlemaine area.

The Australian Dental Association of Victoria says a nationwide survey has found big differences in dental health between fluoridated and non-fluoridated areas.

The president, Dr Mark Bowman, says there is an improvement in dental health of up to 66 per cent among seven-year-old children in fluoridated areas.

"Just anecdotal evidence. I've even had patients who have had children in Melbourne, they've moved rural, they've seen their first children grow up without cavities and then had their children in a non-fluoridated area grow up with cavities and then been utterly convinced themselves," he said.

66% now! Funny how the York review didn't find that evidence

USA - Fluoridation vote set for November

Fluoridation vote set for November
By GEORGE LEDBETTER, Record Editor Tuesday, June 17, 2008
The question of whether or not to add fluoride to Chadron’s water supply will be placed before voters in the Nov. 4 general election, but at least one Chadron city council member is concerned that the wording of the question may be confusing.
Fluoridation vote set for November
“When you vote a ‘yes’ means ‘no’ and ‘no’ means ‘yes,’” council member Don Thompson said during discussion of the issue at Monday’s meeting.
A legislative bill that requires all Nebraska communities over 1,000 population to add fluoride to their water supply, or allow residents to opt out of the requirement through an election, is responsible for bringing the issue to Chadron. Treatment with the chemical is viewed as an effective way to improve dental health, but some people believe it also has negative health consequences.

Chadron voters faced a similar decision in 1978, and rejected fluoridation. The city’s water already contains some naturally occurring fluoride, but not enough to meet state standards..............................