Portland, Oregon To Begin Water Fluoridation

Good to see Portland finally coming around-

[www.oregonlive.com]

Actually, Portland is not "coming around" in regard to forced fluoridation of public drinking water. The city council voted to proceed with fluoridation in September 2012. However, public reaction to this decision was so virulent that council had to backtrack and the decision to fluoridate or not to fluoridate will be subject to a public vote on the May 2014 ballot. It would seem that Portlanders ducked the fluoridation bullet at least until then.

Hans

[www.oregonlive.com]

This article cites some tooth decay stats in Portland vs. Seattle (where water has been fluoridated for years); according to the author, Oregon outranks Alabama and Mississippi in tooth decay.

It will be interesting to see how the public votes.

The ADA has admitted that fluoride does not slow or reverse the occurrence or prevalence of dental decay. There are numerous reliable and accurate websites that discuss those findings several of which were listed in the Fluoride's Deadly Secret thread.

In my practice of dental hygiene, I worked in an offices with patients from a divided population... some with fluoridated municipal water and some with either well water or unfluoridated municipal water.... it was a common finding that those with fluoridated water were not protected from decay and many suffered from dental fluorosis (which weakened the tooth structure which required additional dentistry) from ingesting too much fluoride from the various sources in addition to city water while teeth were developing.

Dietary habits and oral hygiene strongly influence decay rates in all population ages.

Those with good hygiene and no fluoridation had great, decay-free teeth. Those with poor oral hygiene habits and fluoridation had decay. My internship was in the inner city where we provided dental care to area indigents, all of whom had fluoridated water but often, poor oral hygiene and poor diets. The decay rate was astounding... and an eye opener because the ADA was insisting that fluoride made all the difference. Not true at all and I saw that during 25 years clinical practice.

Jackie

Jackie:

I have not been on added fluoride in my water, I ate very little sugar products, good diet, and always took care of my teeth, yet over the years I have had a lot of dental work, I have spent a mint on my teeth. My daughter has only one filled tooth, my grandaughter hasn't any cavaties as well, they now live in Orlando, I don't know if their water is fluoridated. I have very little plaque, but I do have a dry mouth, which apparently can cause more cavaties, my daughter does have more plaque build up and does not have cavaties. There are always variables, I appreciate that you were a dental hygenist and I am sure that most of what you have said is correct, however, nothing is absolute.

Liz

Jackie,

Your statement that "the ADA admits that fluoride does not slow or reverse the occurrence or prevalence of dental decay" is not supported by the ADA's website:

[www.ada.org]

The website is very clear about the ADA's support for fluoridation levels.

I am curious, as a hygenist, did you perform fluoride treatment on your patients? And if so, do you think that your exposure to fluoride in the dentist's office contributed to your afib?

EB

Sorry – juggling too many projects….

It is the CDC that goes on record for the efficacy of systemic fluoride…compared to topical which is more effective. At least that way, patients have a choice to use or abstain.


"[L]aboratory and epidemiologic research suggests that fluoride prevents dental caries predominately after eruption of the tooth into the mouth, and its actions primarily are topical for both adults and children."
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (1999). Achievements in Public Health, 1900-1999: Fluoridation of Drinking Water to Prevent Dental Caries. MMWR, 48(41): 933-940.

"[F]luoride's predominant effect is posteruptive and topical." –
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2001). Recommendations for Using Fluoride to Prevent and Control Dental Caries in the United States. Mortality and Morbidity Weekly Review. August 17, 50(RR14):1-42.

"The prevalence of dental caries in a population is not inversely related to the concentration of fluoride in enamel, and a higher concentration of enamel fluoride is not necessarily more efficacious in preventing dental caries."
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2001). Recommendations for Using Fluoride to Prevent and Control Dental Caries in the United States. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 50(RR14): 1-42.

Jackie,

The CDC website does not agree with your statement either:

[www.cdc.gov]

"For 65 years, community water fluoridation has been a safe and healthy way to effectively prevent tooth decay. CDC has recognized water fluoridation as one of 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century. "

So now we know that the CDC and the ADA support fluoridation. Do you want to take another guess?

EB