New York – July 2, 2001 – Opposite to what’s expected, children who drink high fluoride water in areas of the African country, Uganda, have more tooth decay than their equals in low fluoride districts, and, expectedly, more severe dental fluorosis (yellow or brown teeth), according to Clinical Oral Investigations (a,b). “No teeth were lost due to caries (cavities) in the low fluoride district but 6 of 135 (4%) in the high-fluoride district,” report authors Rwenyonyi, et al.

Ugandan children, aged 10 to 14, with similar socioeconomic backgrounds and diets, who lived their entire lives in either low fluoride (0.5 mg fluoride per liter) or high fluoride water districts (2.5 mg fluoride per liter), were examined for tooth decay by the same dentist, with results verified. “Surprisingly, there was a significantly higher caries prevalence and DMFT (decayed, missing, filled teeth) score in the high-fluoride district than in the low-fluoride district,” the authors write.

“In one low fluoride area…, all children were caries-free compared to 75% to 86% in the other areas,” they report…

Neither tooth cleaning nor use of fluoride toothpaste influenced the cavity rate in the Ugandan children. Only 7% of the children used a toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste, while 25% cleaned their teeth with a chewing stick.

Diets were similar in both the high and low fluoride groups. The basic diet was composed of complex carbohydrates, e.g., cooking banana, cassava, potatoes, maize and sorghum eaten at regular meals. About 80% of the children reported no between-meal intake of sugar containing items.

A different paper, presented at a June 2001 meeting of the International Association of Dental Research by Louw, et al, shows the same unexpected results with a different African population. Children drinking 3.0 mg/L water fluoride have more cavities than children drinking .19 and .48 mg/L fluoride (d).

“Tell your elected officials to stop using your tax dollars to legislate unnecessary fluoride into your water and food supply. Fluoride is neither a nutrient nor essential,” says Beeber. “It may damage your health.”

Even employees at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency won t drink the tap water, according to the July 2, 2001, US News and World Report(e). And Ireland, 73% fluoridated since the 1960’s, has a higher tooth decay rate than five other European countries that don t fluoridate the water, according to the June 30, 2001, Irish Independent (f). The Irish are also fluoride saturated; but tooth decay is still rampant in under-privileged areas of Ireland, they report.

Studies show that poorly nourished children have more tooth decay regardless of their fluoride intake and sugar will beat fluoride every time(g).

(a) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&
PubMed&list_uids=11355098&dopt=Abstract

(b) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve
&PubMed&list_uids=11000321&dopt=Abstract

(c) http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/oh/ataglanc.htm

(d) http://iadr.confex.com/iadr/2001chiba/scheduler/scheduler
paper.cgi?abstract=5202&registrationnumber=Fl

(e) http://www.usnews.com/usnews/issue/010702/whispers/2whisplead.htm

(f) http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=45&463386&issue_i

(g) http://detnews.com/2000/health/0004/16/20000415-37415.htm

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