To avoid permanent tooth discoloration, the Canadian Dental Association (CDA) is now advising AGAINST fluoride supplement use for children before their permanent teeth have erupted, usually at about 6 or 7 years of age.

The CDA states in its revised guidlines:

• There is "...weak scientific evidence supporting the effectiveness of fluoride supplements."

• "The use of fluoride supplements before the eruption of the first permanent tooth is generally not recommended,"

Anti-fluoridation forces had plenty to say on the matter. Lawyer Paul Beeber is President of the New York State Coalition Opposed to Fluoridation.

• "Studies show that tooth decay is declining in both fluoridated and non- fluoridated areas while dental fluorosis (white spotted, yellow or brown stained and sometimes crumbly teeth) is increasing, more so in fluoridated areas. Furthermore, fluoride poses harmful systemic damage as well as dental damage," he states.

• The American Dental Association (ADA), which still recommends fluoride supplements for children from 6 months to 16 years old in non or low-fluoridated communities, "is clinging to outmoded ideas," says Beeber. "And they are trailing behind the CDA by failing to protect our children."

• "Fluoride supplements and water fluoridation must stop immediately," says Beeber.

One of Canada's leading fluoride authorities is dentist Hardy Limeback, head of the Department of Preventive Dentistry, University of Toronto, and past-president of the Canadian Association for Dental Research.

• "New research shows that swallowed fluoride carries little, if any, benefit. Fluoride's enamel strengthening effects are primarily topical, or when fluoride touches the outside of the tooth," Limeback states.

• Additionally, "Fluoride's adverse effects occur upon ingestion. Fluoride gets into every cell of the body and can especially damage the bones and teeth."

• "Half of all ingested fluoride remains in the skeletal system and accumulates with age," says Limeback.

• "Studies have linked fluoridation to hip fractures and high levels of naturally-occurring water fluoride to crippling skeletal fluorosis, a bone deforming arthritic-type disease endemic to India," says Limeback.

• A study in progress by Limeback shows that residents of fluoridated Toronto have double the fluoride in their hip bones than residents of non- fluoridated Montreal.

• "Worse, we discovered that fluoride is actually altering the basic architecture of human bones," says Limeback. Ironically, "Here in Toronto we've been fluoridating for 36 years. Yet Vancouver, which has never fluoridated, has a cavity rate lower than Toronto's," says Limeback.

• "We are now spending more money treating dental fluorosis than we would spend treating new decay if water fluoridation halted," says Limeback.

• "The safety of long-term fluoride ingestion has not been proven. The notion that systemic fluorides are needed in non-fluoridated areas is an outdated one that should be abandoned altogether." says Limeback.

Children may get fluoride from many different sources:

• food and beverages made in fluoridated cities
• fluoridated dental products
• fluoride containing pesticide residues in food
• industrial fluoride air emissions
• fluoride-containing medicines, anesthetics and other products.

Fluoride is also inhaled via ocean mist, showers and humidifiers and is found naturally in some foods such as tea.

Canadian Dental Association Board of Governors March, 2000 and other information obtained from the New York State Coalition Opposed to Fluoridation

Other Fluoride News

Ireland considering ending mandatory water fluoridation

Ireland is considering relaxing current laws that require the fluoridation of all drinking water due to mounting controversy and growing public concern over the possible health risks.

Michael Martin, the Irish health minister, has appointed a committee of environmental and health specialists to examine the evidence on fluoridation and make recommendations.

If Ireland does decide to changs it's fluoridation practices, it will not be alone:

• Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland banned water fluoridation during the 1970s and 1980s because not enough was known about the long term health effects.

• Germany rejected the practice in 1975 as "foreign to nature, unnecessary, inefficient, irresponsible and harmful to the environment."

• A year later, the Dutch rewrote their constitution to outlaw fluoridation. France's chief of public health declared in 1980 that fluoridation was "too dangerous."

Ireland is currently one of the only countries in the European Union to insist on mandatory fluoridation of piped water supplies

British Medical Journal June10, 2000; 320: 1560

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

The new recommendation of the CDA is an excellent step in the right direction although clearly not enough. Fluoride should simply not be used at all by anyone who is interested in health. There are far better options of improving one's dental health and the primary one includes the foods you eat. Link to diet. If you are not yet convinced of the need to avoid fluoride I would suggest reviewing the links page on fluoride when you have some time, as there are literally thousands of pages documenting the problems with fluoride and the reason you want to eliminate it for you and your family. The Fluoride Action Network, which is the first link on the links page, is an excellent and up-to-date site. They have great articles on the relationship between fluoride and hip fractures and many other great stuff, including a news tracker page, which gives you current news stories from around the world. The diet is the most important issue in preventing cavities. If you want another outstanding book for your library you can obtain Dr. Weston Price's book 'Nutrition and Physical Degeneration'. He was one of the most prominent dentists at the turn of the century and wondered why so many children were getting cavities. He realized that it was the introduction of processed foods. So he traveled all over the world and documented how the introduction of processed food severely damaged the teeth. One does not even have to read the book as the pictures tell the whole story. The book was written in 1920 and is very true still today. How You Can Help Support The Web Site Development One of the ways that you can help support this web site is that you can now purchase books through Amazon.com by clicking through on my web site. I obtain a tiny percentage of the sale and that will help support my ability to provide high quality content at no charge to you. However this will only work if you click on one of the links above. It does not work if you go directly to Amazon. I am only recommending books that I would purchase for my own home library. Related Fluoride Information: Links for Fluoride Information Fluoridation Increases Lead Absorption In Children The Fluoride Controversy Toothpaste and Other Fluoride Sources Can Damage Preschoolers' Teeth