.comment-link {margin-left:.6em;}

UK Against Fluoridation

Friday, July 07, 2017

USA - Debate continues over fluoride in water in Jonesborough

The fight over fluoride in water in Jonesborough continues, even though town leaders have already made up their minds.

Earlier this year, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted to take fluoride out of the water system. But on Thursday night, people on both sides of the issue met to voice their concerns.

Organizers said they wanted to hear from both sides. And they want all meetings between town leaders and either group - for or against fluoridated water - to be open to the public.

Organizers were also hoping town leaders would be there. But neither the mayor nor any of the aldermen showed up.  

Soon, water in Jonesborough will not have fluoride. That's alarming to health officials like Christen Minnick, director of the Washington County Health Department.

"After a community stops fluoridating their water, we tend to see people get cavities, have an increase in dental disease about five years after that," Minnick said.

Mayor Kelly Wolfe did not return our call, but we spoke to him shortly after the board made its decision, back in February.

At that time, he said a survey sent to water customers showed a majority wanted fluoride removed. Ron Myers is part of that group.

"If people saw what they're adding to the drinking water, nobody in the world would support it," he said.

Myers is concerned that a water analysis report shows the fluoridated water contains other chemicals that may be harmful.

And Myers said this is not addressing the main issue. He said if people are concerned about cavities, they should stop letting their kids eat candy.

"The fluoridation issue is misdirected and because of that, they totally ignored the direct cause of the problem," Myers said.

Myers and other parents also expressed their right to choose and know what's in the water they use.

But retired dentist Lon Reed disagreed.

"It's shortsighted and we're about to make a big mistake especially for our children," Dr. Reed said.

He said there are more positive effects of fluoride for both children and adults.

The CDC recommends a ratio of 0.7 milligrams per liter as a safe and beneficial amount of fluoride to drink.

"Which when we do fluoridate our water sources for our communities, that's the level that it's being fluoridate at," Mennick said. "It's not above that."

So those in favor of fluoride hope town leaders are listening, and will take another look at the issue.

"I just can't believe that they discount a professional in the field," Dr. Reed said. "They've heard from people in health department, dentists and people telling them that they're making a mistake. And it just doesn't matter. They've got their minds made up."

Those who support the board's decision hope it withstands. Supporters also want to see any future meetings on the issue be open to the public.

According to the CDC, Tennessee ranks 17th in the country with 88% of its population having fluoridated drinking water. Virginia ranks 7th with 96%.

The CDC also said fluoride in the water reduces tooth decay by 25%. And for every dollar spent on the process, it saves $38 in health care costs.

"Dental cavities is an infectious and contagious disease. We are committed to getting rid of 100% of it. Water fluoridation is the closest thing to a magic bullet that we currently have," Dr. Johnny Johnson wrote in a statement to News 5. Johnson is the president of the American Fluoridation Society.  

When we spoke to Mayor Wolfe in February, he said the town will use $12,000 it expects to save from not fluoridating the water to buy toothpaste and fluoride rinse for children in need.

A town water system employee confirms fluoride is still in the water. But he expects it will be filtered out in about two weeks.  

The fight over fluoride in water in Jonesborough continues, even though town leaders have already made up their minds. Earlier this year, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted to take fluoride out of the water system. But on Thursday night, people on both sides of the issue met to voice their concerns. Organizers said they wanted to hear from both sides. And they want all meetings between town leaders and either group - for or against fluoridated water - to be open to the public. Organizers were also hoping town leaders would be there. But neither the mayor nor any of the aldermen showed up.    
Soon, water in Jonesborough will not have fluoride. That's alarming to health officials like Christen Minnick, director of the Washington County Health Department. "After a community stops fluoridating their water, we tend to see people get cavities, have an increase in dental disease about five years after that," Minnick said. Mayor Kelly Wolfe did not return our call, but we spoke to him shortly after the board made its decision, back in February. At that time, he said a survey sent to water customers showed a majority wanted fluoride removed. Ron Myers is part of that group. "If people saw what they're adding to the drinking water, nobody in the world would support it," he said. Myers is concerned that a water analysis report shows the fluoridated water contains other chemicals that may be harmful.  And Myers said this is not addressing the main issue. He said if people are concerned about cavities, they should stop letting their kids eat candy. "The fluoridation issue is misdirected and because of that, they totally ignored the direct cause of the problem," Myers said. Myers and other parents also expressed their right to choose and know what's in the water they use. But retired dentist Lon Reed disagreed.  "It's shortsighted and we're about to make a big mistake especially for our children," Dr. Reed said. He said there are more positive effects of fluoride for both children and adults. The CDC recommends a ratio of 0.7 milligrams per liter as a safe and beneficial amount of fluoride to drink. "Which when we do fluoridate our water sources for our communities, that's the level that it's being fluoridate at," Mennick said. "It's not above that." So those in favor of fluoride hope town leaders are listening, and will take another look at the issue. "I just can't believe that they discount a professional in the field," Dr. Reed said. "They've heard from people in health department, dentists and people telling them that they're making a mistake. And it just doesn't matter. They've got their minds made up."
Those who support the board's decision hope it withstands. Supporters also want to see any future meetings on the issue be open to the public. According to the CDC, Tennessee ranks 17th in the country with 88% of its population having fluoridated drinking water. Virginia ranks 7th with 96%. The CDC also said fluoride in the water reduces tooth decay by 25%. And for every dollar spent on the process, it saves $38 in health care costs. "Dental cavities is an infectious and contagious disease. We are committed to getting rid of 100% of it. Water fluoridation is the closest thing to a magic bullet that we currently have," Dr. Johnny Johnson wrote in a statement to News 5. Johnson is the president of the American Fluoridation Society.     When we spoke to Mayor Wolfe in February, he said the town will use $12,000 it expects to save from not fluoridating the water to buy toothpaste and fluoride rinse for children in need.  A town water system employee confirms fluoride is still in the water. But he expects it will be filtered out in about two weeks.  

2 Comments:

  • These fluoridation-promoting health professionals are probably not aware of the underlying politics of organized dentistry as revealed in a recent Washington Post article: Are they political pawns or just afraid to rock the boat? As is reported, they are very busy in their own fields. Do they have the time to research the primary scientific literature or are they just parrotting what they've been told by a special interest group?


    According to a recent Washington Post article, "Among the general public, dentists tend to have a Norman Rockwell appeal — solo practitioners who clean your teeth, tell your kids to cut down on the candy, and put their seal of approval on a range of minty toothpastes and mouthwashes. But lawmakers from Maine to Alaska see a different side of dentists and their lobby, the American Dental Association, describing a political force so unified, so relentless and so thoroughly woven into American communities that its clout rivals that of the gun lobby." “'I put their power right up there with the NRA,' Malaby said. 'Dentists do everything they can to protect their interests — and they have money.'”


    See Washington Post article here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/the-unexpected-political-power-of-dentists/2017/07/01/ee946d56-54f3-11e7-a204-
    ad706461fa4f_story.html


    Those who take the time to review the scientific literature themselves, and who aren't constrained by job descriptions and expectations, learn they have been duped about the safety and efficacy of fluoridation as this research science recently revealed in a youtube video posted July 5, 2017 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyvldpyYNz8


    Fluoridation: Follow the money: http://fluoridedangers.blogspot.com/2014/01/fluoridation-follow-money-by-carol-s.html

    By Blogger FluorideNews, at 07 July, 2017  

  • Nys Cof and other fluoridation opponents (FOs) selectively extract and edit information from over 70 years of research that has examined the benefits and risks of community water fluoridation. They use discredited studies and deliberately distorted conclusions to create the illusion of a public health program that is ineffective and dangerous - fabricating "evidence" that alleges drinking optimally fluoridated water causes a variety of serious health problems. This pattern of anti-science behavior was clearly exposed in the recent EPA denial of the anti-F petition to end drinking water fluoridation.
    ~> https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2017-02/documents/fluoridetsca21_frn_prepub_2017-02-17.pdf

    Unfortunately it is far easier to sell fear than it is to promote a considered review of more than 70 years of complicated scientific research. The majority of scientists and health professionals in the world who are involved with the study of fluorine chemistry and community water fluoridation or who treat patients who drink (or do not drink) water containing fluoride ions overwhelmingly support community water fluoridation as a safe and effective public health measure for reducing dental decay (and related health issues) in a community. Fluoridation opponents (FOs) are experts at exploiting fear.

    Fortunately, the fear is not supported by the science. And the science is the reason over 100 national and international science and health organizations (and their thousands of members)continue to recognize the public health benefit of fluoridation as a safe and effective method to reduce dental decay. These organizations include The WHO, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association and the American Dental Association.
    ~> http://www.ada.org/en/public-programs/advocating-for-the-public/fluoride-and-fluoridation/fluoridation-facts/fluoridation-facts-compendium

    FOs have no rational explanation for why many thousands of individuals who are committed to understanding science and doing everything in their power to improve people's health continue to recognize the benefits of fluoridation and reject the alleged "evidence" FOs seem to believe is so clear and convincing.

    The fact is that once you actually take the time to carefully examine the fear-laced propaganda of FOs, strip away the fear-laced headlines and read the actual science, you will discover the evidence provides no proof for the fear-based claims.

    A balanced review of all the evidence can be found in two extremely helpful reviews:

    The 2016 World Health Organization report: Fluoride and Oral Health, Conclusions:
    —> “The question of possible adverse general health effects caused by exposure to fluorides taken in optimal concentrations throughout life has been the object of thorough medical investigations which have failed to show any impairment of general health.”
    ~> http://who.int/oral_health/publications/2016_fluoride_oral_health.pdf

    Australia’s National Health and Medical Research Council 2016 Fluoridation Report, Conclusions:
    —> “Water fluoridation within the current recommended range in Australia (0.6 to 1.1 mg/L) is effective in reducing the occurrence and severity of tooth decay in children, adolescents and adults. In Australia, water fluoridation within this range can be associated with an increase in dental fluorosis. This is often not readily visible and it has no effect on the function of teeth. There is no evidence that water fluoridation within the current Australian range is associated with any adverse health effects.”
    ~> https://www.scimex.org/__data/assets/file/0017/106523/16399-NHMRC-Fluoride-Information.pdf
    More references
    ~> http://ilikemyteeth.org/fluoridation
    ~> http://americanfluoridationsociety.com/home
    ~> http://bfsweb.org
    ~> http://msof.nz
    ~> http://ada.org/en/public-programs/advocating-for-the-public/fluoride-and-fluoridation
    ~> http://cdc.gov/fluoridation/index.html

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 08 July, 2017  

Post a Comment

<< Home