by Raine Saunders

Created on: August 13, 2009

Do you use fluoride toothpaste or drink tap water with fluoride in it? Does your dentist recommend fluoride treatments for your children when they have dental checkups? These common practices are what many people do and accept as a method of "preventative" dental care. Ever since I was a child, the concept of having fluoride in my toothpaste and water to keep cavities away has been hammered into my head. However, fluoride is not only unnecessary, it is not a nutrient; it is in fact, a

harmful chemical.

Here's why:

In November of 2008, the Journal of the American Dental Association made the following statement based on the systematic review of fluoride supplement research: "There is weak and inconsistent evidence that the use of fluoride supplements prevents dental caries [cavities] in primary teeth." Yet for some reason, dentists persist in trying to convince parents to allow them to apply fluoride treatments to their children (I know, I'm one of those parents!).

According to Midwestern Integrative Dentistry (Dr. Philip P. Sukel) the whole theory of fluoride being necessary to maintain dental health was never founded on hard scientific research. Instead, its push to be used in the prevention of dental caries has primarily been driven by financial interests and efforts to cover up gross errors made on endorsing its use. Dr. Sukel's assertion that even if a certain amount of fluoride were useful to the human body, receiving more of the chemical doesn't make it more beneficial is definitely worth considering.

During the time period between 1990 and 1992, the Journal of the American Medical Association published three separate reports which connected an increase in the rates of hip fractures to the consumption of water containing fluoride. The March 22, 1990 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine contained information from the Mayo Clinic stating that patients with osteoporosis who received fluoride treatment experienced an increase of hip fracture and bone weakening.

In a 2007, a statement was issued on the CDC web site (that received no media coverage) to warn the public about the following information:

"It now appears that the amount of the fluoride contained in the water used for mixing infant formula may influence a child's risk for developing enamel fluorosis, particularly if the child's sole source of nutrition is from reconstituted formula."

"If tap water is fluoridated or has substantial natural fluoride (0.7 mg/L or higher), a parent

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