Fluoride: Friend or Foe?

...............One mg/L is equivalent to 50 µmol/L, or 1 part per million (ppm). Rats exposed to 1 ppm of water with fluoride for 1 year showed structural brain changes and increased uptake of aluminum in brain tissue. This is supported by another paper showing that higher levels of aluminum are taken up by the pineal gland if accompanied by fluoride. Another study showed that addition of sodium fluoride to explants of embryonic rat palates lead to retardation of the palatal shelf growth and lack of fusion. In addition, elderly people were found to have higher levels of fluoride/calcium ratio in the pineal gland compared to bone. Lastly, lack of melatonin production due to a calcified pineal gland us thought to be related to premature aging and Alzheimer’s disease. 

There are also numerous reports of death by acute fluoride ingestion. It’s puzzling to see the warning against swallowing any amount of toothpaste. Note that every fluoride toothpaste has a disclaimer on the back which states “WARNING: Keep out of reach of children under 6 years of age. If more than used for brushing is accidentally swallowed, get medical help or contact a poison-control center right away.” I wonder how many kids swallow some portion of their bubble-gum flavored toothpaste every day.

Fluoride’s Link to Jaw and Airway Narrowing

One of the basic concept in my field (otorhinolarygology/ENT) is that sodium fluoride can be used slow down hearing loss in otosclerosis. This is a condition where the last bone in the middle ear (called the stapes) has overgrowth of new bone, preventing proper vibration of the stapes footplate onto the inner ear and leading to hearing loss.  It’s like an engine piston without any oil, adding more friction. Besides surgery, one of the older medical treatment option is to give sodium fluoride. Fluoride is thought to prematurely mature the immature bone on the stapes, preventing it from worsening hearing loss. I’ve personally given sodium fluoride to patients in the early part of my career to prevent worsening otosclerosis. But in retrospect, this brings up the obvious question: Where else besides the teeth and middle ear is fluoride reaching?

This led me to studies that show fluoride’s potential effect on bone development. One study found that rats given palatal expanders had less movement if given water with fluoride. Sodium fluoride has been shown to alter bone cell’s building and breakdown abilities. A number of studies have reported increased risk of bony fractures after taking sodium fluoride. Post-menopausal women given sodium fluoride to prevent osteoporosis had a higher rate of non-spine fractures compares to controls. Rates of fluorosis (darkening of teeth with white streaks due to excessive fluoride ingestion) are thought to be over 40% in teens. What can be inferred from these studies is that fluoride can lower the rate of cavities at the cost of potentially altering systemic bone metabolism and development. 

There are a number of other risk factors for malocclusion and crooked teeth, including prematurity, bottle-feeding, soft diets, thumb sucking, pacifier use, and nasal congestion. I recommend adding fluoride to this list. 

What I’m suggesting here is only a small portion of what the movie Idiocracy portrays, but there are dozens if not hundreds of other toxins, poor diets and everything else that makes us sicker, fatter, and less focused. Oftentimes, life can imitate art.