Anti-fluoridationists will continue to try to dupe the public with their articles on the latest review “Health effects of water fluoridation: A review of the scientific evidence”. One press release item shocked me a little that they twisted the report and said it “confirms fluoridation must end”. You can read that press release here written by Stan Litras.

The point that “many at risk adults are exceeding the upper toxic limits” seems to be partly a rehash of their previous post 2 months back.

Dr Steve Slott DDS debunked the claims made, which are below.

1. The only result of children 0-8 years old exceeding the daily upper limit of fluoride intake, as a result of the minuscule amount of fluoride in fluoridated water, is mild to very mild dental fluorosis, a barely detectable effect which causes no adverse effect on cosmetics, form, function, or health of teeth. Fluoride has been in water since the beginning of time. If Dr. Litras has any valid, peer-reviewed scientific evidence of adverse effect of fluoride at the optimal level, on unborn children, he should present it instead of making lame, unsubstantiated implications such as “its effects on the unborn child are unknown”.

2. The total fluoride intake at the individual is indeed known and controlled. Simply put, water is fluoridated at 0.7 mg/liter (ppm=mg/liter). Thus, for every liter of fluoridated water consumed, the “dose” of fluoride intake is 0.7 mg. The average daily water consumption by an adult is 2-3 liters per day. So, let’s go to an extreme and double that to an excessive 6 liters of fluoridated water consumption per day. This translates to 4.2 mg “dose” of fluoride intake per day from the water. The CDC estimates that of the total daily intake, or “dose”, of fluoride from all sources including dental products, 75% is from the water. Thus as 4.2 mg is 75% if the total daily intake from all sources, the total daily intake, or “dose” from all sources would be 5.6 mg for an individual who consumed an excessive 6 liters of fluoridated water per day.

The Institute of Medicine has established that the daily upper limit for fluoride intake from all sources, for adults, before adverse effects will occur, short or long-term, is 10 mg. Thus, even the excessive 6 liter per day consumer of water will still only take in a daily “dose” of fluoride that is slightly more than half the upper limit before adverse effects.

The range of safety between the miniscule few parts per million fluoride that are added to existing fluoride levels in your water, is so wide that “dose” is not an issue. Before the UL of 10 mg could be reached, water toxicity would be the concern, not fluoride.

3. “HFA, a class 6 toxin” does not exist in fluoridated water at the tap. HFA when added to drinking water, immediately and completely hydrolyzes (dissociates). The products of the hydrolysis are fluoride ions identical to those which have existed in water since the beginning of time, and trace contaminants in barely detectable amounts far below EPA mandated maximum levels of safety. After this point, HFA no longer exists in that water. It does not reach the tap. It is not ingested. It is of no concern, whatsoever.

4. There is no valid evidence of any lack of safety of fluoride at the optimal level. In the 69 year history of this initiative, there have been no proven adverse effects.

5. The 12 member 2006 NRC Committee on Fluoride included 3 long time, outspoken fluoridation opponents. This Committee reached the same conclusion as did the NZ panel… that fluoride at the optimal level is safe and effective.

This 2006 NRC Committee was charged with evaluating the adequacy of the US EPA primary and secondary MCLs for fluoride, 4.0 ppm and 2.0 ppm respectively, to protect the public against adverse effects. After an exhaustive 3 year review of all relevant fluoride literature, the Committee recommended that the EPA primary MCL for fluoride be lowered from 4.0 ppm. The sole stated reasons for this recommendation were the risk of severe dental fluorosis and bone fracture with chronic ingestion of water with a fluoride content of 4.0 ppm or greater. No other reasons. Had this Committee had any other concerns with fluoride at this level, it would have stated so and recommended accordingly.

Additionally, this Committee made no recommendation to lower the EPA secondary MCL for fluoride, 2.0 ppm. Water is fluoridated at 0.7 ppm, one-third the EPA secondary MCL, which the 2006 NRC Committee on Fluoride made no recommendation to lower.

In March of 2013, Dr. John Doull, Chair of the 2006 NRC Committee on Fluoride, made the following statement:
“I do not believe there is any valid, scientific reason for fearing adverse health conditions from the consumption of water fluoridated at the optimal level”
—John Doull, MD, PhD, Chair of the National Academy of Sciences, National Research Council 2006 Committee Report on Fluoride in Drinking Water

6. Fluoridation was “banned” in Israel by the irresponsible actions of one, single individual, the misguided Israeli Minister of Health, a long time anti-fluoridationist who put her own personal, ideology above the health and wellbeing of her citizenry. Her action was in direct contradiction to the Israeli healthcare community which vehemently objected to her unilateral action. Given the amount of opposition to her decision, by her own health care experts, it is hard to imagine that this Minister will not be required to either correct her grievous action, or be replaced by one who understands that it is the obligation of public health officials to put the best interests of his/her citizenry above his/her personal ideologies and biases.

–Dr. Steve D. Slott, DDS

Thank you, Steve, for your comments.