Hurray! Earlier this week, my home county of Pinellas County Florida, the
most densely populated in the state, voted to end fluoridation of its
drinking water to about 700,000 residents by a margin of 4-3. The move
will save taxpayers $270,000 per year.
The vote to end water fluoridation happened despite heavy opposition
by dentists who insisted the move would cause more rotten teeth and harm
the health of disadvantaged children.
The rise of a “New Conservatism” is
credited with the reversal. Todd Pressman, a Pinellas County activist,
describes it as a mood shift that is occurring across the country with
the Tea Party representing only the tip of the iceberg.
The vote attracted nationwide attention likely due to the large
number of people affected and the fact that Florida is a swing state and
represents the pulse of the nation on many issues.
County Commissioner John Morroni who changed his mind on the issue
the last time a vote was taken in 2003, said that the county should not
be in the business of doling out medicine to the public any more than
the federal government should mandate health insurance or the state
government require vaccination.
“People are not dying because they don’t have fluoride,” Morroni said.
Other commissioners who voted against water fluoridation noted
conflicting evidence presented by both dentists and national health
organizations. They also cited repeated complaints by taxpayers over
the years about the overreach of government in putting drugs in the
drinking water.
The Safety of Fluoride is Questionable at Best
Activists have lobbied for the removal of fluoride from drinking
water for years and this victory in Pinellas County Florida is a huge
win for the anti-fluoridation movement.
Even if water fluoridation really did reduce
cavities – which is doubtful and it very well may increase tooth
problems such as fluorosis (white spots) over the long term – the many
health problems associated with exposure to the fluoride levels present
in drinking water patently override any such questionable benefit.
Probably the most disturbing complication from exposure to fluoride
in drinking water is the likely reduction in the IQ of children who
drink it.
Click here for a list of 23 published studies showing reduced IQ from fluoride exposure.
The other huge health concern is the depression of thyroid function in those drinking fluoridated water. Hypothyroidism is at epidemic levels in modern society and contributes to weight issues among other serious health challenges.
In a nutshell, fluoride is an enzyme poison. Its presence in the
body even in small amounts competes for the receptor sites on the
thyroid gland. If fluoride occupies these sites instead of thyroid
stimulating hormone, less thyroid hormone is manufactured resulting in a
slow but steady decline in thyroid function.
Here’s the really scary part.
Fluoride displaces iodine in the body. Without sufficient iodine,
even less thyroid hormone will be produced and even taking iodine
supplements may not help much if a constant infusion of fluoride is
occurring via the drinking water, toothpaste, dental fluoride treatments
etc.
In short, water fluoridation is an unmitigated public health disaster.
I applaud the Pinellas County Commissioners for eliminating
fluoridation of the drinking water of its citizens. It’s so nice to be
able to write glowingly for a change about a government action as
forward thinking and beneficial to the public – especially our children.
