The European Commission has just opened a public consultation process to investigate the health risks of adding fluoride to public water supplies. The Irish health authorities, through the local councils, have added hydrofluorosilicic acid to public water supplies since 1960. However, unlike sodium and calcium fluoride used in toothpaste, Hydrofluorosilicic acid is an industrial waste by-product and a very unstable chemical which over time, accumulates in our bones and organs. There is a large and growing body of long term epidemiological evidence that links swallowed fluoride to osteoporosis, thyroid malfunctions, cancer, lower IQ in babies and many other side effects
MEP for Munster, Kathy Sinnott, welcomed the consultation saying “In my election campaign five years ago, I promised to challenge the fluoridation of our drinking water. It has taken us several years of lobbying to get the Commission to agree to this step but I am delighted that they have finally decided to take the issue seriously.”
She continued “Ironically, though our health authorities insist on adding fluoride to benefit our teeth, public water fluoridation makes the rates of dental fluorosis skyrocket. Dental fluorosis, which is the white to brown staining of tooth enamel, now, affects 40% of Irish teenagers in the Republic. Fluorosis is rarer among their peers in unfluoridated Northern Ireland. Interestingly, tooth decay rates on both sides of the border are about the same.”
“Besides the danger hydroflurosilicic acid poses to our health, I believe there is an issue of personal freedom: Compulsory fluoridation of something as necessary as water takes away our choice to use fluoride or not and makes it even harder to control how much fluoride we consume.”
“I would urge people to take the time and trouble to send information to the Commission and express their opinion on water fluoridation through this consultation process. When a similar consultation process was carried out by the Irish government a number of years ago, almost 90% of the avalanche of submissions were against involuntary mass medication of the Irish population with fluoride. This overwhelming majority was ignored by our then Minister for Health, Micheal Martin. I am confident that the same level of opposition will be expressed to Brussels and I promise you that I will not let it be ignored,” concluded Kathy Sinnott MEP.
For further information, questions or comments, please contact Kathy on:
Brussels office: +32 228 47692
Cork office: +353 21 4888 793 or +353 21 2429788
Email: kathy.sinnott@europarl.europa.eu
Website: www.kathysinnott.ie
Note to Editor:
For further information on this consultation, please go to http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_risk/committees/04_scher/scher_call_info_04_en.htm?call
– END –
Print 
PDF