Why is fluoride added to water?

Fluoride is added to water because of an outdated notion that it prevents dental decay, according toScientific American. If applied frequently in low concentrations, the U.S. is being led to believe that it increases the rate of growth and size of tooth enamel – which helps to reverse the formation of small cavities.

But, modern studies show that dental decay rates are so low in the U.S. that the effects of water fluoridation cannot actually be measured. This means that the benefit of water fluoridation is not clinically relevant, according to Fluoride Alert.

There are many safer ways to provide fluoride for your teeth if they are deficient. In fact, there is a very easy one time gel treatment that takes only 15 minutes and lasts a lifetime, according to Ye Olde Journalist. Teenagers and young adults that have dental fluoride deficiency can easily be tested – although it is likely that their dentist will have noticed the problem and already suggested ways to improve the condition.

What little benefit fluoridated water might actually provide comes entirely through its topical application – meaning that fluoride does not need to be swallowed to benefit teeth, as reported byFluoride Alert.

So what are the dangers of drinking fluoride?

Fluoride is an industrial-grade chemical that is commonly contaminated with trace amounts of toxic heavy metals – such as lead, arsenic and radium. These trace elements accumulate in our bodies over time, and are associated with causing cancer, among other health complications, according toFluoride Alert.

Toothpaste labels commonly contain warnings regarding the dangers of swallowing too much toothpaste at one time; this is due to its fluoride content. Meanwhile, fluoridation isn't actually a common practice in Europe, with countries such as Austria, Belgium, Finland, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and The Netherlands opting out of adding fluoride to drinking water, according to Alt Health Works.

As noted in the latest study, published in The Lancet, and reported on by Ye Olde Journalist, "A systematic review identified five different similar industrial chemicals as developmental neurotoxicants: lead, methylmercury ... arsenic and toluene ... Six additional developmental neurotoxicants have also now been identified: manganese, fluoride ..." The study notes that neurodevelopmental disabilities, including attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia and other cognitive impairments, are now affecting millions of children worldwide – a "pandemic of developmental neurotoxicity."

Over recent years, more and more people have joined the movement to remove industrial fluoride from the world's water supply, thanks to an increased awareness of the dangers to human healthcaused by drinking this toxin for a prolonged period of time. If you are concerned about the amount of fluoride you are putting into your body, you can switch to fluoride-free toothpastes and help spread awareness about the dangers of fluoridation.