More fluoride=more cavities?
Sink your teeth into this: fluoride may actually cause cavities.
The funny thing is, we've known this for a pretty long time. Back in 1942, Proctor & Gamble’s own studies found a 23% increase in dental caries (cavities) among children who used their fluoride toothpaste “Teel”. How could that be? Ironically, for fluoride to bond to teeth, it has to remove calcium. That’s called “fluorosis”, which leaves white spots on the teeth and makes them weaker and more likely to get cavities. This is a good example of how the “outside-in” approach to health usually backfires, leaving us worse off than we were before.
Even with several other studies showing the ineffectiveness (and even harm) of fluoride, a report today (Jan 24, 2006 Wall Street Journal, “Bottled Water and Tooth Decay: Kids May Not Be Getting Enough Fluoride”) says that some dentists as well as the CDC are concerned that bottled water isn't giving children enough fluoride.
Some cultures have great dental health, even without brushing their teeth at all. Imagine that. So, before we start worrying about fluoride, or even better brushing, it might make more sense to look Inside. To see our dental health as an expression of our overall health. The typical American's health is not that great, and our health problems (even dental and mental!) are rooted in our grain-based, super-sized, pre-packaged diet. Teeth are living tissue, and are profoundly affected by your food choices. Believe me, I know this from experience.
When I graduated from Georgia Tech in 1985, I became a vegetarian. My dental health also improved, and I didn’t have another cavity or dental problem of any kind until my last few quarters at Life College in 1994. That’s when I started on my “Quick Trip” diet. I was working as a Senior Assistant, supervising other students during my last year in the clinic, on the road a lot, driving twenty minutes south into Atlanta or north to Canton to work in the satellite clinics between classes. I was usually working at lunch time, so I just stopped at Quick Trip for a snack (Munchos, Diet Coke and a Little Debbie was my usual). After about a year of that, I started having problems with my teeth (not to mention my waistline, but I blamed it on 'sympathy gut' since my wife was pregnant). More cavities, broken fillings and even two root canals. But since I’ve been following my anti-inflammatory eating plan for the past two or three years, I’ve been in great shape, dentally and otherwise.
The key to my renewed health has been Concentrated Omega-3 Pharmaceutical-grade Fish Oil. By reducing the amount of grains and junk I eat (which has lots of harmful, inflammatory Omega-6 fats) and supplementing with fish oil (which has lots of anti-inflammatory Omega-3s), I’ve changed my life (and my choppers) for the better.
You can too. Click here to learn more. http://www.drvinceonline.com/fishoil.htm
To be fair, the dentists acknowledge the dangers of “too much fluoride; ingesting too much toothpaste or taking too many fluoride supplements under the age of 8 years old can leave children with chalky white spots on their teeth--one reason dentists say parents should make sure their kids don't use too much toothpaste…” (Why not save the trouble and just switch to a non-fluoride toothpaste? That’s what I’ve done. I really like my Tom’s GingerMint.)
Even back in 1999 EPA scientists, lawyers and engineers signed a joint resolution to oppose fluoridation because they found that fluoride causes: “gene mutations, cancer, reproductive effects, neurotoxicity, bone pathology and … decreases about 5 to 10 I.Q. points in children aged 8 to 13 years.” In fact, Robert Carton, Ph. D., a former president of the EPA professionals union who spent 15 years as a US EPA toxicologist, says, “Fluoridation is the greatest case of scientific fraud of this century, if not of all time.”
According to the article, the CDC says that one out of three children 6 to 19 years old have some fluorosis. Strangely enough, though, “the CDC says it continues to recommend fluoridation”.
(I’ll let you provide your own punchline…)
Live Enthused,
Dr. Vince
P.S. you can find the entire article at
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB113806628922854233.html?mod=home_personal_journal_middle
P.P.S. If you want better dental health, better energy, and a better Life, I know you’re chomping at the bit to get on over and check out http://www.drvinceonline.com/fishoil.htm
The funny thing is, we've known this for a pretty long time. Back in 1942, Proctor & Gamble’s own studies found a 23% increase in dental caries (cavities) among children who used their fluoride toothpaste “Teel”. How could that be? Ironically, for fluoride to bond to teeth, it has to remove calcium. That’s called “fluorosis”, which leaves white spots on the teeth and makes them weaker and more likely to get cavities. This is a good example of how the “outside-in” approach to health usually backfires, leaving us worse off than we were before.
Even with several other studies showing the ineffectiveness (and even harm) of fluoride, a report today (Jan 24, 2006 Wall Street Journal, “Bottled Water and Tooth Decay: Kids May Not Be Getting Enough Fluoride”) says that some dentists as well as the CDC are concerned that bottled water isn't giving children enough fluoride.
Some cultures have great dental health, even without brushing their teeth at all. Imagine that. So, before we start worrying about fluoride, or even better brushing, it might make more sense to look Inside. To see our dental health as an expression of our overall health. The typical American's health is not that great, and our health problems (even dental and mental!) are rooted in our grain-based, super-sized, pre-packaged diet. Teeth are living tissue, and are profoundly affected by your food choices. Believe me, I know this from experience.
When I graduated from Georgia Tech in 1985, I became a vegetarian. My dental health also improved, and I didn’t have another cavity or dental problem of any kind until my last few quarters at Life College in 1994. That’s when I started on my “Quick Trip” diet. I was working as a Senior Assistant, supervising other students during my last year in the clinic, on the road a lot, driving twenty minutes south into Atlanta or north to Canton to work in the satellite clinics between classes. I was usually working at lunch time, so I just stopped at Quick Trip for a snack (Munchos, Diet Coke and a Little Debbie was my usual). After about a year of that, I started having problems with my teeth (not to mention my waistline, but I blamed it on 'sympathy gut' since my wife was pregnant). More cavities, broken fillings and even two root canals. But since I’ve been following my anti-inflammatory eating plan for the past two or three years, I’ve been in great shape, dentally and otherwise.
The key to my renewed health has been Concentrated Omega-3 Pharmaceutical-grade Fish Oil. By reducing the amount of grains and junk I eat (which has lots of harmful, inflammatory Omega-6 fats) and supplementing with fish oil (which has lots of anti-inflammatory Omega-3s), I’ve changed my life (and my choppers) for the better.
You can too. Click here to learn more. http://www.drvinceonline.com/fishoil.htm
To be fair, the dentists acknowledge the dangers of “too much fluoride; ingesting too much toothpaste or taking too many fluoride supplements under the age of 8 years old can leave children with chalky white spots on their teeth--one reason dentists say parents should make sure their kids don't use too much toothpaste…” (Why not save the trouble and just switch to a non-fluoride toothpaste? That’s what I’ve done. I really like my Tom’s GingerMint.)
Even back in 1999 EPA scientists, lawyers and engineers signed a joint resolution to oppose fluoridation because they found that fluoride causes: “gene mutations, cancer, reproductive effects, neurotoxicity, bone pathology and … decreases about 5 to 10 I.Q. points in children aged 8 to 13 years.” In fact, Robert Carton, Ph. D., a former president of the EPA professionals union who spent 15 years as a US EPA toxicologist, says, “Fluoridation is the greatest case of scientific fraud of this century, if not of all time.”
According to the article, the CDC says that one out of three children 6 to 19 years old have some fluorosis. Strangely enough, though, “the CDC says it continues to recommend fluoridation”.
(I’ll let you provide your own punchline…)
Live Enthused,
Dr. Vince
P.S. you can find the entire article at
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB113806628922854233.html?mod=home_personal_journal_middle
P.P.S. If you want better dental health, better energy, and a better Life, I know you’re chomping at the bit to get on over and check out http://www.drvinceonline.com/fishoil.htm
posted by Dr. Vince at Tuesday, January 24, 2006
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