Fluoride is a poison. It is the 13th most common--and one of the most toxic--elements in the earth's crust; it is an insidious poison that results in serious health effects on a long-term basis.

The federal government's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Dental Association (ADA) hosted the "National Fluoridation Symposium 2005: Celebrating 60 Years of Water Fluoridation" in Chicago.

Fluoridation of community drinking water first began in 1945. It was the product of researchers' beliefs that fluoride helped prevent tooth decay.

And while the CDC ranks fluoridation of community drinking water as one of the 10 most significant public health achievements of the 20th century, various prominent sources beg to differ:

• The Journal of the American Dental Association said (in 1936) that fluoride at the 1 ppm (part per million) concentration is as toxic as arsenic and lead. In addition, there is an increasing volume of evidence of the damaging effects of fluorine, especially the chronic intoxication resulting from the ingestion of minute amounts of fluorine over long periods of time.

• The Journal of the American Medical Association said (in its September 18, 1943 issue) that fluorides are general protoplasmic poisons, changing the permeability of the cell membrane by certain enzymes.

Public Deceit

Yet despite the journals' warnings, officials of the Manhattan Project coaxed health policy makers and medical and dental leaders, in the interests of national security, to do a complete 180-degree turnaround and jump on the fluoridation bandwagon.

And they did.

Thus, the new goal was to stifle fluoride emission concerns and persuade the public to view fluoride as a nutrient. Based on "health claims" and supposed studies, municipalities across the country began adding fluoride to their water supply. Within a mere 15 years, a majority of Americans were washing their clothes, watering their vegetable gardens, bathing in and drinking fluoridated water.

Adverse Effects of Fluoride

How does fluoride poisoning damage one's health? For starters:

• It disrupts enzymes (by changing their hydrogen bonds) and prevents them from doing their job of producing proteins, collagen in particular, which is the structural protein for bone and teeth, ligaments, tendons and muscles.

• It also damages DNA repair enzymes and prevents the enzyme acetylcholinesterase in the brain, which is involved in conveying signals along nerve cells.

Since all cells in the body depend on enzymes, fluoride can have widespread toxic effects. Such effects span from dental fluorosis, the white spotted, yellow or brown permanently stained teeth, to skeletal fluorosis, a debilitating condition that occurs when fluoride accumulates in bones, making them extremely weak and brittle.

But the effects don't stop there. Fluoride also has the capacity to severely damage the brain, both directly and indirectly.

Lew Rockwell July 15, 2005

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

For over a half a century, the U.S. government has been telling the American public that fluoride is safe and beneficial. But what most Americans don't realize is that many European countries are not as foolish and they banned fluoride from their water supply many years ago. Why did Europeans ban fluoride? Well they weren't deceived by their government and were able to carefully examine the evidence as researchers have convincingly linked fluoride with the following: Fluoride disrupts the synthesis of collagen and leads to breakdown in the bone, tendon, skin, cartilage, lungs, trachea, and kidney. Fluoride inhibits the formation of antibodies in the blood, which cause a disruptive effect on various tissues in the body, which then confuses the immune system and causes it to attack its own tissues. Fluoride increases the tumor growth and the general cancer rate. Fluoride has been linked to cancer, low IQ's in children, genetic disorders and muscle degeneration. If you want to review more details I would encourage you to review my fluoride summary page, What Your Dentist Isn't Telling You About Fluoride. Fluoride is definitely something you want to avoid, especially hidden dietary sources. Many aren't aware that tea can be loaded with fluoride. For many years I would advise people to avoid even health-promoting teas like green teas because of its high fluoride content. But earlier this year I was finally able to identify a brand that is essentially fluoride-free. If you drink tea at all this is a product you will want to seriously consider. Last year I did an interview with Christopher Bryson who is a reporter that wrote Fluoride Deception. This is an amazing book that details at great length information about fluoride that American industry has intentionally limited your access to. Related Articles: What Your Dentist Isn't Telling You About Fluoride Fluoride Spurs Bone Cancer Risks in Young Boys Tooth Decay Is Back - And Fluoride's No Help