Fluoride Free Water have uncovered a four year old study carried out at Dublin Dental Hospital which exposes the fraud surrounding water fluoridation in Ireland. The study which investigated the fluoride dose of bottle-feeding infants concluded, “(b)aby formulae should be reconstituted with non-fluoridated water”.(1) They also called for “more research work (to) be undertaken on the total fluoride dose and the impications for child health both dental and systemic”. This study, although presented to a health board conference, has never been published. The conclusions have never been made public and parents who are using tap water to make up infant formula feed are overdosing their children with fluoride.

Recently, M.E.P., Avril Doyle raised the issue in the Senate. Ms. Doyle clarified, “(f)ormula milk is second best to breast milk but there are occasions when formula milk must be the choice of the parent. It is a matter of major concern that parents, following the advice of our Food Safety Authority, could inadvertently be feeding milk to their new-borns, and indeed those children up to the age of two years, which has three times over the fluoride limit set by the British Medical Association and other international authorities”.(1) Expressing growing public concern about fluoride, Ms. Doyle continued, “the Minister of State should issue a directive to the effect that fluoridated tap water should no longer be used in the reconstitution of infant formula”.

In response to Ms Doyle’s concerns, Dr Wayne Anderson, chief food science specialist with the Food Safety Authority (FSAI), revealed that a sub-committee of the Forum on Fluoridation is carrying out a risk assessment on use of fluoridated water to make infant formula. Fluoride Free Water finds it surprising that a press release from the FSAI, one year after the above study, advocates the use of tap water over bottled water for formula feed, “(m)ineral waters may have a high solute content, may contain inadequate fluoride and should not be used to mix formula or as an infant drink”.(2) This shows the level of ignorance surrounding this issue.

Ms. Doyle found it “inexplicable” that there has never been a risk assessment into infant fluoride levels. Ms. Doyle will find it even more “inexplicable” that Professor John Clarkson, a member of this Forum sub-committee, is Dean of Dublin Dental School where the above study was carried out all those years ago. Professor Clarkson recently stated, “the issue of total fluoride exposure needs to be addressed and monitored”.(3) However, he failed to mention that a study, carried out at his Dental Hospital, had declared Irish fluoridated tap water unsafe for Irish infants.

Fluoride Free Water finds the truth decay surrounding water fluoridation scandalous and unacceptable. The forum on fluoridation is unbalanced, unaccountable and continues to mislead the public and put all our health at risk. We are now calling for an independent public enquiry to investigate the shocking truth behind this mass-medication. Protect our youngest citizens and stop fluoridation immediately.

References:

1. To examine the Fluoride content of popular formulae and milks and to study the Fluoride dose that infants are receiving from these various sources. Dublin Dental Hospital 1997-1998. http://homepage.eircom.net/~fluoridefree/ddhstudy.htm

2. Seanad Debates Official report 19/6/2001. http://www.gov.ie/debates-01/s19june/sect4.htm

3. Infant nutrition affects childhood illness and adult diseases. Food Safety Authority of Ireland report recommends feeding changes. 30 August 1999. Search “Fluoride” http://www.fsai.ie/search_index.htm

4. Minutes of meeting of the Forum on Fluoridation on 10 May 2001 http://www.fluoridationforum.ie/forum_minutes7.htm