If you fall into certain categories, your risk for brittle bones, thyroid problems and even bone cancer, may be substantially higher if you consume fluoride-containing foods, beverages or water, says Canada's foremost fluoride authority, Dr. Hardy Limeback, head of Preventive Dentistry at the University of Toronto. Limeback, a biochemist and President of the Canadian Association of Dental Research (CADR) spoke to audible gasps from his audience at the recent Total Health 2000 in Toronto as he revealed a number of unsettling facts about fluoride, which has been added to Toronto's public drinking water supply since 1963. For one thing, its crippling can affect the elderly more greatly. Also, at greater than average risk for fluoride damage, are those with renal problems (bladder), those living at higher altitudes and meat eaters. The acid in meat affects absorption. Renal difficulties, as well as altitude can decrease excretion of fluoride allowing it to build up faster in the body, especially in the bones.
Shallow breathing can inhibit the elimination; but exercise may increase fluid intake and with it, fluoride ingestion. "You're better off being a deep-breathing vegetarian," joked Limeback. Well, not if you're the type of vegetarian who eats canned salmon, we soon learn. Some foods and beverages cause debilitating damage to the body through an excessive accumulation of fluoride, says Limeback, who proceeded to identify: tinned salmon (20 parts per million -- 28 times higher than fluoridated tap water); fish soup (10 ppm); kidney (5 ppm); tea (3 ppm, although some biochemists suggest a much higher concentration), grapes, grape juice and wine (because of the fluoride-containing cryolite pesticides used on grapes).
Soft drinks, pasta and reconstituted juices manufactured in fluoridated areas as such southern Ontario -- which account for most beverages sold across Canada -- are also high in fluoride. Even those living in non-fluoridated areas such as Vancouver or Montreal, can consume significant amounts of fluoride with the beverages and food imported from Toronto or Calgary or the U.S.
Studies show fluoride accumulation in the body can result in osteoporosis and increased hip fracture rate. (Limeback's study is showing twice the fluoride content in the hips of Torontonians compared with Montrealers.) A higher incidence of osteosarcoma (bone cancer) is found in fluoridated cities. Says Limeback, death rates due to bone cancer are 3-7 times higher in young males living in an area of fluoridated water (NJ Dept. of Health study). Studies have previously linked fluoride with lower testosterone levels, decreased birth rate, behavioral problems and premature aging. Thyroid function can be impaired (causing lethargy or obesity) because fluoride interferes with iodine and a number of hormones.
The fluoride added to Toronto water is collected from smokestacks of fertilizer plants in Florida where it is illegal to allow this toxic waste to escape into the air or to dump it into the ocean. As a result, it also contains trace amounts of arsenic, lead and radium. Putting a halt to fluoridation in Ontario would have far-reaching health effects for Canadians coast-to-coast. Asked to put the question to a public vote for the November city elections, councillors have repeatedly refused.
Toronto mayor Mel Lastman: Tel: (416) 395-6464; Fax: (416) 395-6440; E-mail: mayor_lastman@city.toronto.on.ca Website: http://www.cadvision.com/fluoride/index.htm
RGNDWMA, Government of India All India Institute of Medical Sciences Ansart Nagar, New Delhi - 110 029
A.K. Susheela, Ph.D., F.A.Sc., F.A.M.S. Professor of Histocytochemistry, Department of Anatomy
Message to: Rotary International, Oakmont, Pennsylvania c/o Ellie Rudolph Fax 412-828-5096
There are 20 nations in the world with health problems due to excess fluoride ingestion through water and food.
India, Africa, China, certain parts of Thailand, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Israel, Pakistan, Syria, Turkey are severely affected. However, the problem exist in U.K., U.S.A., Canada to a lesserextent possibly due to better nutrition, calcium and Vitamin C in diet which can nullify the toxic manifestations to some extent. But"Water Fluoridation" is a guaranteed danger to health.
The major problem is that, very often, skeletal fluorosis and non-skeletal fluorosis are misdiagnosed and treated wrongly as clinicians do not fully understand the manifestations due tofluoride poisoning/toxicity. These are not described adequately in Medical/Dental text books.
Dental fluorosis, is quite evident from the discolouration of the teeth from white, yellow, brown, to black spots or streaks horizontally aligned on the enamel surface, away from the gums. Even Dentists, quite a large number, do not fully understand fluoride action on teeth. We have problems in India, as Dentists promote fluoride, among patients, who have dental fluorosis and the patients end-up with severe non-skeletal manifestations. Intense scientific debates save helped the Government, to amend our Drugs and Cosmetic Act of 1945, during 1992 to bring-in stipulations in the manufacture of fluoridated toothpaste. We would like to get the fluoridated toothpaste out of our country. But due to vested interests among concerned, it is not an easy task.
To summarise a few scientific facts which concerns the people around the world are: Fluoride ingestion affects adversely:
Muscle structure and function, resulting in muscle weakness.
Red blood cells (erythrocytes) are killed prematurely, lowering haemoglobin content, resulting in anaemia.
Blood vessels are blocked through calcification resulting in cardiac problems.
The male reproductive organs are affected resulting in defective sperms, leading to infertility in some men, which is again related to the hormonal status of the individual.
The gastrointestinal tract mucosa is deranged (the lining of the stomach and intestine) resulting in: pain in the stomach, gas formation, nausea, loss of appetite, constipation followed with intermittent diarrhoea.
People loose their teeth and become edentulous at a relatively young age.
India is the first country in the world to develop two protocols for diagnosing Fluorosis at an early stage, so that prevention of the disease is possible. Radiographs revealing skeletal fluorosis is too late for reversal of the changes. Fluorosis has no treatment or cure. Prevention is the only solution provided the disease is diagnosed early.
For early detection of fluoride poisoning we use 1) Gastro-intestinal manifestations (non-ulcer dyspepsia) 2) a sensitive blood test SA/GAG for detection.
In view of the enormous health problems due to fluoride, India is now investing massive amounts of funds for removing fluoride from drinking water.
Dental caries on the contrary, is not a fluoride related disease: it is a bacterial disease. Can be easily prevented, if oral hygiene practises are promoted and calcium and vitamin C in the diet are given in adequate quantum to the child even before birth through maternal diet. However, Dentists invariably misguide the public by designating Dental caries as a fluoride deficiency disorder, which is grossly and scientifically incorrect.
In India, we are educating our people through radio, TV and other print media, the dangers of fluoride and they shall avoid it. In the developed western world, as people are educated. I do not understand why it should be a problem to convince the Government against "water fluoridation" and to stop it.
In early 1970 and 1980 some of the UN Organisations tried their very best to promote fluoridation of water in India (inspite of prevailing health problems due to excess of fluoride) and the scientific community fought the battle and was able to convey to the concerned Organisation(s) that they shall not enter India with the message for Fluoridation and we won the battle. They were trying to use the developing world to promote fluoridation based on the concepts of the "donor" countries but did not work.
"Peoples Health is the Nations' Wealth" and I hope the Rotary International would do everything possible to stop the cruel method of poisoning people through fluoridating drinking water in the name of prevention of Dental caries.
This truly reveals that no Organisation/Association can be taken for granted. Their intentions while promoting fluoride need to be questioned.
Professor A.K. Susheela Dated: 24th February, 1996
