by Sara Mcgrath

Created on: July 23, 2008

As with all drugs, fluoride compounds carry side effects and risks beyond the proclaimed benefits. For this reason, consumers should have the right to choose whether or not to undergo treatment. Fluoridation of public drinking water constitutes nonconsensual mass medication of the populace and therefore presents an ethical as well as public health issue.

Risks of Water Fluoridation

Water suppliers cannot control the individual dosage of fluoride consumed by each consumer. Fluoride in moderate to high doses is toxic and may cause a host of adverse health effects including dental and skeletal fluorosis, bone cancer, immune damage, liver and kidney damage, and endocrine disruption.

Dental Fluorosis on the Rise

Dental fluorosis is the first visible sign of fluoride overdose. Fluorosis is a mineralization disorder of the teeth in which enamel-forming cells are damaged and porosity of sub-level enamel is increased.

During the years 1999 to 2002, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) conducted The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) which found a 9 percent higher prevalence of dental fluorosis in American children than was found in a similar survey 20 years ago [http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5403a1.h tm].

According to estimates from U.S. and British Governments, 2 to 12 percent of children living in fluoridated communities have dental fluorosis [Griffin 2002; York Review 2000].

In November 2006, the American Dental Association began recommending that infants from 0 through 12 months of age avoid fluoridated water to reduce the risk of fluorosis caused by fluoride overdose.

In March 2007 at a conference of the International Association of Dental Research (IADR), the CDC reported that 41 percent of children ages 12 to 15 and 36 percent of children ages 16 to 19 show signs of fluorosis [http://iadr.confex.com/iadr/2007orleans/techprogram /abstract_92598.htm].

About Fluoride

The inorganic fluoride compounds commonly added to public drinking water include hexafluorosilicic acid (H2SiF6) and salt sodium hexafluorosilicate (Na2SiF6). When evaporated, hexafluorosilicic acid releases hydrogen fluoride. Upon contact with moisture, including tissue, hydrogen fluoride converts to hydrofluoric acid, which is highly corrosive and toxic.

Regardless of potential risks or benefits, fluoridation of public water sources constitutes nonconsensual medication of the populace. Water suppliers cannot regulate individual dosage of fluoride and cannot guarantee that consumers will not receive overdose. Consumers should have the right to choose whether or not to receive medical treatment.

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