The potential harm from fluoridating the water

Helping you make healthy choices for you and your family

Water Fluoridation

There has been much controversy over artificial water fluoridation recently. In some areas of the country, the water is naturally fluoridated. Where this occurs, a gas called fluorine is released from beneath the Earth's surface and attaches to the first solid element it finds. In nature, that is often calcium, making calcium fluoride.

In 1939, a Dr H Trendley Dean was working for the US Public Health Service. He examined water from 345 communities in Texas. He determined that high concentrations of fluoride in the water in these areas corresponded to a high incidence of mottled teeth.

Dr. Trendley Dean also claimed that there was a low incidence of dental cavities in communities where the water contained 1 part per million (ppm) of fluoride. His report resulted in artificial fluoridation being implemented at 1ppm across the US. However, under oath he later admitted that his data was invalid! (Toxic Bite by Bill Kellner-Read). Yet, water fluoridation continues in the US and has been adopted in Ireland and parts of the UK for many years.

The "fluoride" we find added to our water supply is actually a by-product (toxic waste) of the phosphate fertiliser industry, called hydrofluorosilicic acid (H2SiF6) - very little like the naturally occurring calcium fluoride. This chemical is highly toxic and has been implicated in thyroid disease, bone disease, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and even cancer. In fact, it has been known for 80 years that fluoride causes iodine deficiency leading to hypothyroidism - noticeably on the rise. Hip fractures are also more prevalent in areas with fluoridated water.

A study in France found 86% more fractures than in non-fluoridated areas. Significantly, most of Europe and the rest of the world have rejected artificial water fluoridation.

In 1985, the UK government introduced a water fluoridation bill to allow hydrofluorosilicic acid to be added to all UK water supplies. At the time only 165 MPs voted in favour of fluoridation, 82 voted against it and a staggering 399 MPs abstained, allowing the bill through by default. The British electorate was effectively disenfranchised that day. Many water companies refused to add the artificial chemicals, partly because of a fear of litigation from those made ill by hydrofluorosilicic acid. A new amendment to the Fluoridation bill was passed by parliament in 2003, forcing water companies to add artificial fluoride to our water supplies after local consultation. The water companies have been promised immunity by the government should members of the public try to prosecute them.

We believe that adding a registered poison to the public water supply, which has never been tested for safety, (yes, never!) is an infringement on human rights. It is mass medication without consent which is against medical ethics. No doctor would prescribe a medicine to someone whose medical history they did not know, at a dose determined by the patient’s thirst. See the National Pure Water Association website for detailed information and evidence about fluoride and its effect on health.

Fluorosis is the name for fluoride poisoning. Often it can be seen as blotches on children's teeth (see photo below). There is no cure for this and the child needs to have expensive veneers over each tooth to hide the unsightly blotches – not available on the NHS.

Mild to severe dental fluorosis - the outward sign of fluoride poisoning. Dentists regard this as merely a “cosmetic problem”! Find out more from NPWA.

In India, where the water is naturally fluoridated due to wells being dug too deep into the rocks, millions of children suffer from skeletal fluorosis which affects their bones, and many of them are severely crippled (see photo opposite).

Therefore, those of us who live in artificially fluoridated areas should take extra care in the amount of fluoride we ingest. It can also be absorbed through the skin when taking a shower or bath. Tea contains a high level of fluoride and processed foods manufactured in fluoridated areas will add to the total intake. See Other Sources of Fluoride. Amazingly, this factor is never considered by the dental associations.

There has been a great deal of concern, recently, about the levels of fluoride that babies ingest when they are bottle fed, as their formula may be made up with boiled, fluoridated water. If the baby is having six plus bottles a day they may be ingesting more than the recommended safe daily intake for an adult. Infant formula made with fluoridated water at the recommended 1 part per million contains over 100 times more fluoride than breast milk. Mothers filter out any fluoride from their own bodies so it is unable to pass into their milk.

Websites about Water Fluoridation

Click on the following links

Natural Pure Water Association

UK Against Fluoride Blog

Fluoride Action Network

Alliance for Natural Health

Natural News on Fluoridation

Fluoride Free Bedford

For more information, see our recommended list of books by clicking here

Videos about the Dangers of Fluoride and Fluoridation

Click here to videos on fluoride and fluoridation

To check if your water is fluoridated in the UK, download a fluoride map by clicking here.

If you live in a fluoridated area, you may wish to find out how you can remove or reduce the artificial fluoride in your drinking water. Ordinary jug filters will not work due to the low molecule size of hydrofluorosilicic acid. Information about a number of devices, ranging from water ionisers to atmospheric water generators, can be found at Water Filtration.