Fluoride and Why You Need to Avoid It

Fluoride and It’s Impact on Your Health

Myth: Fluoride is Safe

On January 25, 1945, Grand Rapids Michigan became the first community in the US to fluoridate the drinking water to prevent tooth decay.  What was not realized by citizens at the time is that fluoride is now considered a neurotoxin and can have many negative health effects from ingesting it.

Fluoride is found in water, processed beverages, toothpaste and some medications.  Many of us are led to believe not only that fluoride is harmless but that we also need to consume it.  Fluoride is found naturally occurring in some areas and can lead to naturally high fluoride levels in some water supplies. However, just because fluoride may be there naturally, does not mean it is safe. Fluoride is for the most part added to the water supply and is not a naturally occurring ingredient.

Most countries do not add fluoride to their water, including 97% of western Europe.  In the US, more than 70% of the water is fluoridated.

Findings

Research is showing that children being exposed to fluoride can have various health effects.  Fluoride is now being associated with ADHD and other mental disorders.  A study looked at 4-17-year old’s and data was collected in 2003, 2007 and 2011.  They found that water fluoridation in 1992 significantly positively predicted the prevalence of ADHD in 2003, 2007 and 2011. The states that have heavily fluoridated water also have high ADHD levels.

Not only may it be causing ADHD in your child.  But it is impacting our health in many other ways as well.

There is evidence that fluoride impacts the thyroid gland.  It has been found that there are higher rates ofhypothyroidism in areas of fluoridated water.  Fluoride has been shown to block the uptake of iodine which is necessary for adequate thyroid function.

Fluoride has been shown to have lack of effectiveness in preventing tooth decay. The CDC claimed that dental caries declined in the second half of the 20th century but they did not mention that this happened in all western nations, regardless of whether they had fluoridated water or not.  Most of these countries they looked at did not have fluoridated water. Dr. Mercola, in his article “You’re still told fluoridation prevents tooth decay, but science proves otherwise” sites various examples of countries that have eliminated fluoridation yet rates of cavities continues to decline.

What Fluoride Can Do to Your Health

• Linked to the lowering of IQ in children
• It accumulates in the body over time so even though you may ingest small amounts, this builds up over years and can contribute to health issues. (think of that small amount of toothpaste that gets swallowed, not just one time…)
• Kidney disease
• Cause calcification of the pineal gland (pineal gland is responsible for melatonin production) hint: sleep issues?
• Arthritis
• Bone disease
• Ulcers
• Infertility
• Discoloration of teeth
• Hypothyroidism (can block iodine uptake)
• Disrupts the immune system
• Uterine cancer
• Cause ADHD symptoms

Where Fluoride is Found

• Toothpaste
• Fluoride mouth rinse
• Fluoride treatment from dentist office, applied topically to teeth (this may be the only benefit to using fluoride)
• In your water
• Medications such as Cipro (antibiotic), Flecainide (used to treat arrhythmia), Niflumic Acid (used for joint and muscle pain), Voriconazole (for fungal infections). These meds contain organofluoride which metabolizes into fluoride.
• Processed drinks (that use fluoridated water to make their products) such as sodas, juice, sport drinks and some beers
• Some dry infant cereals (more info at )
• Teflon pans
• Canned soups

Ways to Minimize Fluoride Exposure

1. Switch to different cooking pots and pans such as cast iron, ceramic, glass, stoneware and stainless- steel cookware.
2. Look for a toothpaste that does not contain fluoride. Just because it is a “natural” brand, does not mean it does not contain fluoride.
3. Use a fluoride filter system. I like the Berkey as it is cost effective and easy to use. (you will need to purchase the fluoride filter). (no affiliation)
4. Cut down on the processed drinks. You don’t need these drinks in your diet for many other reasons but this is one more good reason to avoid juices, sodas, plastic bottled waters and sport drinks. As for the beer, I will leave that one up to you.

How to Flush out Fluoride

Dr. Mark Sircus states that chelation will not work to remove fluoride from the body and that the only method is to load the body with iodine as this will displace fluoride from cell receptors and will flush the fluoride out in the urine.  You can get iodine from seaweeds such as nori, wakame, kelp or dulse. Seafood such as salmon, lobster, scallops, cod and shrimp are also good sources of iodine. Foods that contain iodine, but in lower amounts, include cranberries, potatoes, strawberries and navy beans.

If you decide to detox from fluoride, you should work under the care of a holistic professional as the detox may trigger some symptoms such as headaches, agitation and heart palpitations as the fluoride is being released.  In addition to that, most during the detox will also need additional liver support and nutritional support.

If you are not sure if your water is fluoridated, request a water report from http://www.ofmpub.epa.gov

Bottom Line: You do not need to consume fluoride and in fact should avoid it as much as you can. If you have ADHD or hypothyroidism (or any of the above-mentioned health issues for that matter), consider the fluoride in your diet as a contributing factor. Minimize your exposure and detox safely under the guidance of a professional.