Tag: Low-income populations
Showing 6 of 6:
-
Association Between Water Fluoridation and Income-Related Dental Caries of US Children and Adolescents.
This cohort study examines the incidence of dental caries in children and adolescents of varying income levels living in areas with vs without water fluoridation. By age 11 years, an American child living in poverty has twice the level of dental caries (tooth decay) as one living at 3 times the poverty threshold.1 To achieve […]
-
The Oral Health Crisis
Water fluoridation is routinely proposed by public health officials as an effective way of preventing the high rates of tooth decay found in low-income populations throughout the United States. Fluoridation is presented as an equitable means of providing “dental care” to people in need of dental services. In reality, however, fluoridation does nothing to remedy […]
-
Statements from Civil Rights Leaders
League of United Latin American Citizens The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the oldest Hispanic civil rights organization in the United States. In September 2011, LULAC passed a resolution opposing fluoridation at its annual conference. The resolution states that: 1) Current science shows that fluoridation chemicals pose increased risk to sensitive subpopulations, […]
-
Water Fluoridation, Tooth Decay, & Poverty
Most of the oral health crises occurring in the United States right now are taking place in low-income urban areas that have been fluoridated for decades. It is unclear, therefore, how fluoridation can be expected to prevent oral health crises in newly fluoridated areas when it has failed to prevent such crises in areas that have been fluoridated for 30 to 60 years.
-
Nutrient Deficiencies Enhance Fluoride Toxicity
It has been known since the 1930s that poor nutrition enhances the toxicity of fluoride. As discussed below, nutrient deficiencies have been specifically linked to increased susceptibility to fluoride-induced tooth damage (dental fluorosis), bone damage (osteomalacia), neurotoxicity (reduced intelligence), and mutagenicity. The nutrients of primary importance appear to be calcium, vitamin C, and iodine, while […]
-
Environmental Justice
Current data shows that low-income and minority communities are disproportionately harmed by water fluoridation programs. Fluoridation has thus become an issue of environmental justice, with a growing number of civil rights leaders calling for an end to the practice.