Fluoride is a danger, not a help to teeth
To the editor:
This letter is in response to the May 2 letter by John P. Fisher, DDS, of Salem, Mass. ("Fluoridation part of dental access issue."
In 2016, the science is clear. Chemical water fluoridation is neither safe nor effective. Cavities are caused by sugar and poor dental hygiene, not lack of fluoride. It's as simple as that. Mad science from the 1950s does not belong in a 21st-century world.
Ever wonder why the label on your fluoride toothpaste warns you to call poison control if more than used for brushing is swallowed? Simple. Fluoride is a neurotoxin, endocrine disruptor and carcinogen. It is the primary ingredient in rat poison. It causes dental fluorosis, particularly in the African-American population.
Fluoride is not a nutrient. It is a drug, which unless it comes out of your tap, can be sold only with a doctor's prescription. Informed consent is needed to prescribe any drug and none of us should be forced to ingest a drug simply by drinking municipal tap water.
Ever wonder where the chemicals used to artificially fluoridate water come from? They are the unpurified industrial waste from the fertilizer industry. This toxic slurry contains traces of lead, arsenic, aluminum, and other heavy metals. If it were dumped in the lake, it would be an environmental crime. Why is it OK to dump it into the water our children drink (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24999851)?
We've all read about the hazards which lead in drinking water present. You need to know that fluoridation chemicals are highly corrosive, and when combined with chlorine increase the leaching of lead from pipes and fittings used in plumbing.
The goal of the EPA for these toxic substances in our water is zero. These is no justification for increasing the presence of these poisons in our drinking water.
The good news is that there is a growing awareness of the dangers of fluoridation. Prominent physician and Berkshire County resident Dr. Mark Hyman is the latest in a list of key national figures, including Erin Brockovich, Lois Gibbs, Alveda King and others, who reject chemical water fluoridation and are calling for hearings to investigate why this archaic practice continues (fluoridealert.org/news/mark_hyman_fluoride).
Educate yourself. Protect yourself and your family. For more information, watch the well-crafted, 20-minute video, "Our Daily Dose," (ourdailydosefilm.com) and visit FluorideActionNetwork.organd MomsAgainstFluoridation.org.
Marjorie Shapiro, Sheffield The writer is the volunteer communications director forMomsAgainstFluoridation.org