Fluoride no Aid to Poor
New York -- November 2004 -- "Caries experience may be associated with
income," reports the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Low
income, not fluoridation deficiency, predicts more cavities is
revealed in newly-released statistics posted 10/25/04 on the CDC's
website (1).
Those states reporting third-graders cavity rates and children living
below the federal poverty level indicate that poor children have more
cavities – even when water is fluoridated. And, the states with the
highest rates of fluoridation don't have the lowest cavity rates.
For example, CDC statistics show that:
Despite a 60% fluoridation rate, Arkansas has the most third-graders
suffering with tooth decay (72%) and the highest number of poor
children (45%)
Oklahoma third-graders endure the second worst cavity rate (69%) even
though 3/4 of the state is fluoridated. But 41% are poor, the second
poorest state on the CDC's list.
Similarly, 89% fluoridated South Dakota reveals the third worst decay
rate (68%) where 41% are poor.
At the low end:
Massachusetts, Maine and Vermont third-graders have the least decay –
49%, 45% and 44%, respectively, and the smallest amount of poor
children (26%, 32% and 31%), Fluoridation rates: 63%, 75%, and 54%,
respectively.
Additionally, the CDC reports that, while fluoridation numbers
improved, cavity experience in two – four-year-olds worsened. (9)
Healthy people have healthy teeth. Ten of the twelve least healthiest
(10) states as reported by the United Health Foundation have the most
toothless populations (11) when compared to CDC statistics, even
though most of those states are heavily fluoridated (12). In fact, in
Ohio were 96% of water supplies are fluoridated, too many children's
teeth rot to the gumline, not from lack of fluoride but because of
rotten diets. (19)
"The cavity-prone and toothless are not fluoride-deficient; but are
fluoride overdosed. Poor health and/or low income predicts tooth
decay," says lawyer Paul Beeber, President, New York State Coalition
Opposed to Fluoridation. "Fluoridation is a waste of money and is no
substitute for a healthy diet and dental care," says Beeber..
Water engineers dispense fluoride chemicals into 2/3 of Americans via
their water supply attempting to prevent tooth decay. However, in the
United Kingdom, where only 10% drink fluoridated water, tooth decay
rates are equal too or better than those of the U.S.(2) and have
declined over the last ten years.(3)
In contrast, U.S. cavity rates increased (4) along with fluoride
overdose symptoms, prompting some researchers to suggest that water
fluoridation be stopped (5a,b). Cavity rates also increased in heavily
fluoridated Australia (2/3 fluoridated) (13) where evidence shows no
difference in decay rates between fluoridated water drinkers and
non-drinkers (14).
In non-water-fluoridated Finland, Sweden and Holland, tooth decay
declined by 92%, 82% and 72% respectively over the past 20 years (15).
However, dental care is free in those countries up to age 18 or 20.(16)
Non-fluoridated South Africans have low cavity rates; but 80% of it
goes unfilled.(17) So using dental logic, the authorities are trying
to force fluoridation but a science-based report by South Africa's
Water Resource Commission raises concerns about fluoridation's adverse
health effects (18).
In the U.S., U.K. and Australia, lack of money and dental care
predicts higher rates of tooth decay – regardless of fluoridation
status (6a,b, 13).
By neglecting the poor, organized dentistry helped create an oral
health epidemic.(7) Promoting fluoridation may deflect government
regulators from forcing dentists to treat poor children.(8) .
References:
(1) U.S. Centers For Disease Control
http://www2.cdc.gov/nohss/IndicatorV.asp?Indicator=2&OrderBy=2
(2) U.S. Centers for Disease Control, Oral Health: Preventing
Cavities, Gum Disease and Oral Cancers, At-A-Glance 2004
http://www.cdc.ogv/nccdphp/aag/aag_oh.htm
(3) National Statistics "Dentinal Decay Children's permanent teeth
better than ever" (United Kingdon)
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=973
(4) Wall Street Journal
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2002/03/08/financial1058EST0079.DTL
(5a) "A Quantitative Look at Fluorosis and Fluoride Exposure and
Intake of Children Using a Health Risk Assessment Approach,"
Environmental Health Perspectives, by Serap Erdal1 and Susan N.
Buchanan2, Online 14 September 2004
http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/members/2004/7077/7077.pdf
(5b) http://www.orgsites.com/ny/nyscof/_pgg8.php3
(6a) http://www.orgsites.com/ny/nyscof2/_pgg6.php3
(6b) Inequalities in children's caries experience: the nature and size
of the UK problem," by Nigel B. Pitts, Dental Health Services Research
Unit, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
http://www.dundee.ac.uk/dhsru/cdh/supp151/#2
(7) "FIRST-EVER SURGEON GENERAL'S REPORT ON ORAL HEALTH FINDS PROFOUND
DISPARITIES IN NATION'S POPULATION," News Release, May 2000, U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services
http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/news/pressreleases/pr_oral_52000.htm
(8) Oregon Dental Association newsletter, April 2004, Volume 9,
Number 11 (Page 6)
http://www.oregondental.org/oda/section.cfm?wSectionID=1277
(9) Oral Health Progress Review 3/17/04
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/ppt/hpdata2010/focusareas/fa21.ppt
(slide 5)
(10) United Health Foundation "2004 Overall State Health Rankings"
http://www.unitedhealthfoundation.org/shr2004/Findings.html
(11) CDC tooth loss rates by state
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5250a3.htm
(12) CDC's 2004 Water Fluoridation Statistics By State
http://www2.cdc.gov/nccdphp/doh/synopses/WaterFluoridationV.asp?Year=2004&submit1=+Go+
(13) "Dental Health in State of Decay,"
http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Dental-health-in-a-state-of-decay/2004/11/10/1100021883334.html?oneclick=true
(14) "Fluoridation No Benefit, another study shows"
http://www.orgsites.com/ny/newyorkstatecoalitionopposedtofluoridation/
(15) "How Other Countries Have Stopped the Rot; THE INTERNATIONAL
SOLUTION," Evening Times; Glasgow (UK) Aug 19, 01:49 AM EST
(16) http://www.reformmonitor.org/index.php3?content=docview,131
(17) Caries status and treatment needs in South Africa: report of the
1999-2002 National Children's Oral Health Survey, vanWyk PJ, Louw, AJ,
duPlessis JB SADJ 2004 July 59(6): 238, 240-2
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=15457909
(18)
http://www.themercury.co.za/index.php?fSetId=515&fSectionId=285&fArticleId=2294916
(19)
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041114/EDIT03/411140378/1023/EDIT
New York State Coalition Opposed to Fluoridation, Inc.
PO Box 263
Old Bethpage, New York 11803
nyscof@aol.com
http://www.orgsites.com/ny/nyscof
additional resources:
http://fluoridealert.org
http://nofluoride.com |