The fluoride controversy has not gone awa

............The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a high-prestige agency of our government, as recently as October, 2012, stated “For 65 years, community water fluoridation has been a safe and healthy way to effectively prevent tooth decay. CDC has recognized water fluoridation as one of ten great public health achievements of the 20th century.” (This is on their Web page, and I see nothing to suggest they have given any consideration to more recent information.) In the same statement they recognize that topical fluoride is helpful in combination with water fluoridation, but caution parents to make sure their young children spit out the fluoride toothpaste. A paradox, it would seem.

The World Health Organization (WHO) seems more concerned with laboratory methods and removing excess fluoride. The American Dental Association (ADA) maintains a favorable opinion despite a lead article in their journal explaining how the efficacy of topical fluoride makes systemic fluoridation (taken internally) unnecessary. Reading too much of this gives me a headache........

John Agnew is a retired physician who resides in Fort Myers. Send correspondence to johnagnew2978@gmail.com.