Fluoride, A Toxic Waste

For The Rome Observer, January 11, 2011

By Elizabeth Szlek, LMHC

I was astounded to see the bit on NBC Nightly News last week about the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommending that fluoride levels in our nation’s drinking water be lowered. There was Dr. Nancy, telling us all the story about how 42% of kids in America are getting too much fluoride, and they are suffering from dental fluorosis (staining and mottling of their teeth), due to excess fluoride consumption.

Now, if you had not thought about fluoride before this, you might think well of our doctor on NBC, and would be much obliged to her for setting us all straight on how much fluoride we SHOULD be ingesting. Trouble is, her story, as it often is, was a carefully concocted bit of propaganda, used to cover up a prevailing meme, which is, “Adding fluoride to drinking water prevents dental cavities”. This statement is a lie, and I will tell you why.

What is Fluoride, Anyway?

There is no one thing called fluoride, but a class of compounds in which the element fluorine combines with other elements. Fluorine is a halogen, and is a yellowish, poisonous, highly corrosive gas. Other commonly known halogens are chlorine, bromine and iodine. All are used industrially to kill pathogenic organisms, and of course, they can kill human cells, too. That is just what they are doing in our bodies as we ingest fluoridated water. Fluorine is the most reactive halogen, and thus, it never occurs in its pure form in nature, but always combined with something else, which makes it a fluoride.

Fluoride is a byproduct of the aluminum, steel and fertilizer industries. In 1948, in Donora, PA, where a plant of U.S. Steel was located, a severe air inversion occurred, trapping all of the fluoride gases being given off. An entire town was affected by the cloud of fluoride gas. 6,000 men, women and children in Donora were sickened and eleven people died from lung destruction in one night. This one instance demonstrates the destructive power of fluoride compounds on the body. But there are many others.

If we look at what fluorides are used for industrially we will find many compounds being used. First, there is the extremely corrosive hydrofluoric acid, which is used to etch glass. Sodium fluoride in high concentrations is found in all rat poisons and many pesticides --- it kills them very effectively. Sodium hexafluorosilicate (also known as sodium silicofluoride) is a common ingredient in pesticides, and is also added to drinking water. Yes, you heard right. It is added to drinking water. You are constantly drinking in something used to kill pests. Poisons have many properties, but obviously, promoting good dental health is probably not one of them. As it happens, there is no credible proof that adding poison to your drinking water has any positive benefits, and the reasons for this are several.

Why Is Fluoride Added to Drinking Water?

The main thing to remember is this: Fluoride added to your drinking water is put there not for your benefit, but for the benefit of those who have a lot of it on their hands. As a byproduct of various industrial processes, including nuclear ones, there is a lot of fluoride to get rid of. If it were disposed of directly, it would have to be treated as a toxic waste product, and you know how troublesome THAT is.

Instead, our government allowed these toxic substances to be added to our drinking water, in small amounts, of course, where it supposedly is an effective deterrent to the development of dental cavities (caries). But why?

Well, it is an interested little factoid that Andrew Mellon, Treasury Secretary and the founder of Alcoa (Aluminum Company of America) had lots of waste fluoride lying around, and the head of U.S. Public Health Service reported directly to him in his capacity as Treasury Secretary. The head of the USPHS was none other than a Dr. Dean, who came to be called “Mr. Fluoridation”, since he so ardently promoted the use of fluoride in our nation’s water systems. For Andrew Mellon, problem solved!!

But, in order to sell the idea of fluoridation to Americans, he employed the skills of the original “spin doctor”, Edward L. Bernays, father of the art of public relations, and author of his famous book, Propaganda. He did a bang up job for Alcoa.

What’s So Bad About Fluoridation?

There are several important points to consider when trying to decide if water fluoridation is for you:

1. Fluorides are poisonous to the human body. There is really no “safe” level, and when water is fluoridated, everyone drinking it is drugged at the same level. Babies, the elderly, sick people, and everyone else all get the same dose, all the time. Some people drink more than others, and so they are getting even MORE of the stuff. We are drugged against our will.

2. The predominant benefit of fluoride in preventing tooth decay is TOPICAL, not SYSTEMIC. This means that fluoride works as a pesticide (killing bacteria in the mouth) when it is applied directly to the teeth, such as by using toothpaste or mouthwash. Contaminating entire water systems with this stuff is just stupid.

3. Fluoridation is causing tooth damage in over 40% of our nation’s children. Dental fluorosis is an ugly condition, which is irreversible, and which indicates that other skeletal issues may be developing.

4. Infants being fed formula which is prepared with fluoridated water receive 250 times the recommended limit of .0004ppm concentration found in breast milk. What does this mean? Brain damage from this highly toxic substance!

5. Boys who drink fluoridated water have a very high chance of developing deadly bone cancers. In addition, others can develop bone diseases and skeletal fluorosis.

6. Most importantly, dental caries can be totally prevented by correct nutrition. In many primitive societies, dental care was unheard of, but with proper nutrition, even teeth never brushed had NO INCIDENCE OF CARIES!



Please think about whether you wish to ask your municipality to discontinue water fluoridation. It could be one of the most important issues we all face.



Elizabeth Szlek is the Director of The Door Counseling Center of Yorkville, NY. Questions and comments can be directed to her at (315) 768-8900 or at info@thedoorcounseling.com.