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by
Andreas Schuld
9-6-1998
from
Rense Website
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I heard
fluoride is a poison. Is this true?
Yes. Fluoride is an acute toxin with a rating higher than
that of lead.
According to "Clinical Toxicology of Commercial products,"
5th Edition, 1984, lead is given a toxicity rating of 3 to
4, and Fluoride is rated at 4 (3 = moderately toxic, 4 =
very toxic). On December 7, 1992, the new EPA Maximum
Contaminant Level (MCL) for lead was set at 0.015 ppm, with
a goal of 0.0ppm. The MCL for fluoride is currently set for
4.0 ppm - that's over 250 times the permissible level of
lead.
Fluoride used in water fluoridation is also a toxic waste
product -- which means it contains other heavy metals. It is
the most bone seeking element known to mankind. The US
Public Health Service has stated that fluoride makes the
bones more brittle and dental enamel more porous.
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How much
fluoride am I taking in?
Current total intake is now estimated to be between 5 and 7
mg/day in "optimally fluoridated" areas. Current fluoride
intake is equally divided between drinking water (in
fluoridated areas), food, other beverages, and dental
products, meaning that even if you don't live in a
fluoridated area, fluoride is endangering your health.
Average fluoride content in juices is 0.02 to 2.80 parts per
million, in part because of variations in fluoride
concentrations of water used in production.
Children's
ingestion of fluoride from juices and juice-flavored
beverages can be substantial and a crucial factor in
developing fluorosis. Grape juice has been found to contain
up to 6.8 mg/L of fluoride, a can of chicken soup up to 4 mg
of fluoride.
Fluoride can be found in water, toothpaste,
mouthwash, Dentist's treatment, fluoride pills, juice, soft
drinks, canned food, commercial fruit and vegetables, Teflon
and Tefal coated items (such as frying pans), etc. (Note: No
"optimal" fluoride intake has ever been scientifically
documented.)
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How much is
too much?
As little as 0.04 mg/kg of body weight per day has been
proven to cause adverse health effects. Retention of 2 mg a
day will produce crippling skeletal fluorosis in one's
lifetime.
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Does fluoride
accumulate in the body?
Yes. Approximately half of each day's fluoride intake will
be retained. This is what makes it so dangerous. "The dose
makes the poison." All sides agree to the fact that healthy
kidneys can eliminate only about 50% of daily fluoride
intake. The rest gets stored in calcified tissues, like
bones and teeth.
The National Academy Of Sciences (NAS) stated in 1977 that,
for the average individual, a retention of 2 mg/day would
result in crippling skeletal fluorosis after 40 years.
Considering the above mentioned intake level, it is likely
that skeletal fluorosis already affects many millions of
people in the United States.
Children, the elderly and any person with impaired kidney
function (which includes many AIDS patients), are in the
high risk group for fluoride poisoning and must be warned to
monitor their fluoride intake. Also at high risk are people
with immunodeficiencies, diabetes and heart ailments, as
well as anyone with calcium, magnesium and Vitamin C
deficiencies. (At the level of 0.4 ppm renal (kidney)
impairment has been shown.) (Junco, L.I. et al, "Renal
Failure and Fluorosis", Fluorine & Dental Health, JAMA
222:783 - 785, 1972)
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How does
fluoride get into the water?
Most often as a byproduct from the fertilizer, aluminum and
other industries, who manage to sell this toxic waste to
municipalities nationwide for human consumption --
incredible, but a fact.
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What about my
toothpaste?
Studies show that adults can absorb up to 0.5 mg per "TV
ribbon" brushing. Small children, even if pea-size amount is
used, will still absorb the same, more if the child is
younger and has less swallowing control skills. Half a tube
of toothpaste can kill a child. Current content of sodium
fluoride in toothpaste in Canada and the US is up to 0.4% =
4000 ppm (parts per million). Bubblegum-flavored dentifrice
obviously is especially inviting for children. Since April
1997 all toothpaste in the US must carry a warning label,
advising parents what to do if their child swallows more
than the pea-size brushing amount. Wholesale containers
carry the poison symbol of skull and crossbones.
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What about
the fluoride treatment at the dental office?
Fluoride treatments can contain between 10,000 to 20,000 ppm.
There is no regulated dose requirement. There are cases
known of children dying in the dentist's chair. (New York
Times, Jan.20, 1979: "$750,000 Given in Child's Death in
Fluoride Case" about a three year old child killed by
fluoride treatment in the Dentist's office.)
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How can my
dentist say that it's good for my teeth?
By receiving limited training on the subject and being
misinformed on purpose by the American Dental Association.
Figures in ADA pamphlets contain an incredible amount of
untruths, and outright fraudulent claims. If you check the
references cited and numbers listed in your local libraries,
you will undoubtedly come to the same conclusion. Some
fluoridation endorsements are listed which prove fraudulent
when checked.
Most dentists
never bother to take the time to study both sides of the
fluoride issue. Consider this statement by the ADA in 1979:
There are NO
reliable studies, conducted under ethical research
guidelines, which prove the benefits of fluoride
supplementation. The FDA admits this! There are more than
500 peer-reviewed studies documenting the adverse effects.
Furthermore, dentists make higher profits in fluoridated
areas and through fluoride use. As a result of mottled
enamel, many more restorative measures are necessary, such
as braces, bridges, etc.
For the American
and Canadian Dental Associations, this condition is a real
money-maker, because cosmetic dentistry is far more
lucrative than cavity repair. In addition, there is an
abundance of evidence in the scientific literature
indicating that fluoride causes a delay in the normal
shedding of the "baby" teeth, and their replacement by
permanent teeth. This delay has been shown to increase the
number of children with malpositioned teeth. Again, braces
are far more expensive than fillings.
(Note: In a 1972 report by the American Dental
Association, it is stated that dentists make 17% more profit
in fluoridated areas as opposed to non-fluoridated areas.)
(Douglas et al., "Impact of water fluoridation on dental
practices and dental manpower", Journal of the American
Dental Association; 84:355-67, 1972)
In 1993 the
National Academy of Sciences warned,
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"dental
fluorosis... might be more than a cosmetic defect if
enough fluorotic enamel is fractured and lost to cause
pain, adversely affect food choices, compromise chewing
efficiency, and require complex dental treatment."
The
International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology has
classified fluoride as an unapproved dental medicament due
to its high toxicity.
The FDA considers fluoride an unapproved new drug for which
there is no proof of safety or effectiveness. The FDA does
not consider fluoride an essential nutrient.
Four major studies involving 480,000 children (US, 39,000;
Japan, 22,000; India, 400,000; Tucson, 29,000) comparing
fluoridated and non-fluoridated areas showed no significant
difference in decay rates. Proven is that a higher intake of
fluoride will actually cause MORE cavities, especially for
children with low dietary calcium intake.
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Is it true
that fluoride can cause cancer?
Yes. In 1990 fluoride was found to be an equivocal
carcinogen by the National Cancer Institute Toxicology
Program. (Maurer, et. al., "Fluoride an equivocal
carcinogen. J. National Cancer Institute 82, 1118-26, 1990)
In 1992 further studies by the New Jersey Department of
Health confirmed a 6.9 fold increase in bone cancer in young
males. (Cohn, Perry D. Ph.D. "An Epidemiological Report on
Drinking Water" Fluoridation and Osteosarcoma in Young
Males, New Jersey Department of Health, Environmental Health
Service, Trenton NJ November 8, 1992) In 1997 there were
more than 80 references available, linking fluoride to
cancer.
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Is it true
that fluoride can increase hip fractures?
Yes. According to Dr. J. William Hirzy (vice-president of
the NFFE LOCAL 2050, the union representing all scientists
at the EPA, Washington, D.C.) there have been 5
epidemiological studies done since 1990, in three different
countries, all showing a higher increase in hip fractures in
fluoridated communities.
Some studies have indicated an 87% higher risk of hip
fractures to the elderly in areas where water fluoridation
was below 1.5 ppm.
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Can fluoride
cause Osteoporosis and Arthritis?
Yes, most definitely. On July 9, 1998 the Manchester
Guardian reported news of fluoride poisoned water in Central
India, from untested wells drilled in the 1980s, causing
severe arthritic damage to tens of millions of people -- a
national disaster. Fluoride is the most bone seeking element
known to mankind. The US Public Health Service has stated
that fluoride makes the bones more brittle and dental enamel
more porous.
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Does it cause
brain damage?
Yes. Fluorides lower the intelligence capacity of humans,
with children, again, especially susceptible to early
fluoride toxicity. IQ levels were significantly lower than
children not exposed to fluorides in all age groups listed.
(According to Dr. Hirzy, 5 to 19 points lower!) (Li, X.S.,
Zhi, J.L., Gao, R.O., "Effects of Fluoride Exposure on the
Intelligence of Children", Fluoride;28:182-189, 1995)
Further studies proving the neurotoxicity of fluoride in
rats have also been conducted by Dr. Phyllis Mullinex and
her co-workers. (Note: this also explains a recent
University of South Florida study relating fluoride intake
during pregnancy to the yearly 1% increase in learning
disabilities found in children...)
Studies proving that fluorides transfer through the placenta
are well known. (Meanwhile, Dr.Weil, Internet's Health Guru,
advocates fluoride supplements for pregnant women in his
book "8 Weeks To Optimum Health"...)
There are also several studies linking aluminum with
fluoride, showing that the bioavailability of aluminum is
increased in the presence of fluorides, causing aluminum in
the brain to double in treated animals. According to an
October 28, 1992 Wall Street Journal Article about a study
conducted by Varnier JA, et al.:
Note:
Alzheimer's Disease, first diagnosed by Dr. Alois Alzheimer
in 1907, is now the #4 killer for every person over 60 in
the US. Every 2nd person over 70 will develop Alzheimer's.)
Environmental fluoride is implicated in this.
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How
widespread is this problem?
The US Public Health Service estimates that 1 in 5 children
have dental fluorosis. (By the way, all native reservations
in the US have mandatory fluoridation, resulting in very
high incidents of dental fluorosis in those areas.)
Realistic figures are as high as 80% in some areas in the US
and as high as 69% in Canada. Studies have been conducted
directly linking bone tissue damage to children with dental
fluorosis. Fluorosis is the first visible sign that
destructive effects of fluoride are also occurring in bone,
connective tissue, immune and enzyme functions.
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If all this
is true, how can fluoridation possibly be sanctioned by
government?
In 1939 a
dentist named H. Trendley Dean, DDS, examined water from 345
communities in Texas. Dr. Dean worked for the U.S Public
Health Service (PHS). He determined that high concentrations
of fluoride in the water corresponded to a high incidence in
mottled teeth. To many dentists this provided an answer to
the problem of mottled teeth they saw in some of their
patients. Dr. Dean also unexpectedly found a lower incidence
of dental cavities in some communities having about 1 ppm
fluoride in the water supply. Among the native residents of
these areas about ten percent developed the very mildest
forms of mottled enamel, sometimes described as "beautiful
white teeth".
However, Dean
used a technique known as "selective use of data", using
data from 21 cities while completely disregarding data from
272 other locations which show an almost complete lack of
correlation when plotted. (J. Colquhoun; International
Symposium on Fluoridation, Porte Alegre, Brazil, September
1988) Meanwhile, a number of court cases were being launched
due to fluoride contamination, mainly by the aluminum
industry. In addition the Manhattan Project, the secret
atomic bomb project, was in a big race to build the world's
first A-bomb. A pollution incident of great magnitude
occurred at a factory in New Jersey (DuPont) producing
millions of tons of fluoride for the project.
A major
"negative PR" problem was emerging, threatening the
Manhattan Project and the secrecy around it. In 1945,
supposedly as a result of Dr. Dean's discovery, the PHS
planned to conduct a 10-year study of fluoridation in two
cities. Grand Rapids, Michigan was chosen as the city for
artificial fluoridation and Muskegon, Michigan was the
non-fluoridated city for comparison and cavity rates were to
be compared. In 1950, after only five years into the
project, due again to pressure exerted from the atomic bomb
program, public health officials started to campaign for
fluoridation.
The campaign was
based on the fact that fluoridated Grand Rapids had shown
some decrease in cavity rate. Meanwhile there was also a
decrease in cavity rate shown in non-fluoridated Muskegon.
However, Muskegon was dropped from the study for unknown
reasons. After the project was completed, only the Grand
Rapids result was released and a major PR campaign promoting
fluoride use started.
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How about the
effects on the environment?
Many studies have been conducted examining the adverse
effects of fluoride on the eco-system. In 1995, the Canadian
EPA identified the now closed Brunswick Mining and Smelting
Fertilizer Plant in Belledune, New Brunswick as having the
largest discharge of fluoride to the aquatic environment in
Canada. Toxicity to marine bacteria and impaired
reproduction effects were demonstrated... Agriculture Canada
(1976) found that 25 out of 36 cattle located on several
Cornwall Island farms in the Saint Regis Quebec region
displayed real or potential symptoms of chronic fluorosis.
A subsequent
study of livestock in this region reported stiffness and
inflamed leg joints, dental fluorosis, osteosclerosis,
osteonecrosis and bone deformations. Many serious toxic and
detrimental effects to plants and animal species have been
documented, salmon populations in particluar being in the
high risk category.
IT'S A TOXIC WASTE! Think about it - day after day,
unprecedented quantities of fluoride are deliberately
released into the environment, especially in fluoridated
areas. Showers, toilet flushes, lawn sprinkling .. As a
result of the original Manhattan Project logic, industries,
now mainly the fertilizer and aluminum industries, have a
perfect way to get rid of their hazardous waste material. It
would cost up to $8,000 per truckload to dispose of this
hazardous waste. At a rate of emissions into the air of
155,000 tons/year, in addition to an estimated 500,000 tons
of emissions into lakes, ocean, rivers (not counting
fluoridation) - this adds up to savings of $6 Billion
dollars/year to industry!
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What do I
need to do? How can I protect myself?
If you live in an area with fluoridated water, drink
distilled water. You can have it delivered or buy it at
Supermarkets. You can also buy distilling or reverse osmosis
systems for home use which is the only way for taking
fluoride out of the water. Also, eliminate any Teflon of Tefal coated cooking-ware, for scratches in the surface will
release PTFT, another toxic fluoride compound.
Avoid fruit
juices canned or bottled in fluoridated areas. All
non-organic grape products are especially high in fluoride
content due to the number of fertilizer and pesticide
applications. Wine can contain up to 3 ppm fluoride. Avoid
using any toothpaste or mouth-rinse containing fluoride.
There are many alternatives on the market. A recent store
survey in Vancouver showed over 20 different brands.
In addition, lobbying is required to demand fluoride content
labeling on commercial products. Steps to educate the public
about this proven health risk and fluoride's toxic
properties must be taken immediately and health advisories
issued. Water fluoridation should cease immediately and
steps should be taken to reduce fluoride in food, drink, and
dental products. If you live in a fluoridated area, take
action to stop the addition of fluoride into the water
supply. Individuals ARE successful in educating legislators
about the issue and have helped pass laws to stop the
addition of fluoride into the water supply.
(Notably Darlene Sherrell, who not only discovered that the original
Roholm/Hodge
safety figures had been mis-calculated and then persisted
with the help of Dr. Bob Carton and Senator Bob Graham in
her efforts to get the National Research Council (NAS/NRC)
to adopt the new figures - which had even been corrected by
Hodge himself in 1979 - but also managed to change the law
in Michigan, giving people the right to vote on
fluoridation. Michigan was the first state in the US to
repeal their mandatory fluoridation law. Darlene's contact
info is below.)
Web pages have been set
up documenting all the above information, enabling you to conduct
your own research into this matter. All information is verifiable.
For more info with study/research links to studies, abstracts,
charts and fraud papers, please go to either web site listed below.
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Dental
Fluorosis Prevention Program
Darlene Sherrell
793 South Lacey Road
Charlotte, Michigan 48813 USA
(517) 541-9624
sherrell@inter-view.net
http //www.ia4u.net/~sherrell/
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brouhaha
records group ltd.
Andreas Schuld
78 Malta Place
Vancouver, B.C.
V5M-4C4
CANADA
(604) 435-9859
brou@istar.ca
www bruha.com/fluoride
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