Dental professionals will tell you that fluoride treatments reduce the chance of getting cavities. They will also tell you when you get your treatment not swallow the solution and don’t eat or drink for two hours after the treatment. Why do we spit out the toothpaste? Ask your dentist and or your hygienist if we should be consuming fluoride in any form. All that I have talked to have said fluoride is good on your teeth not in your body.

My new hygienist laughed at me when I asked if we had to do fluoride. She said “no, we only do that now if there is evidence from our exam that it would be beneficial” and that “brushing you teeth regularly is all you need”.

If flouride does in fact have some benefit, then it would come from drinking the water, and brushing your teeth.

Seems to me more people drink bottled water, or (heaven forbid) soft drinks, or whisky and wine, coffee, tea, etc;

So at the end of the day, whether or not there is actually any benefit from flouridating water is a moot question.

Can we get the facts from either Northern Health, or City Hall. Somehow I doubt it.

The fact that it is being handled as a money saving issue, and with the City trying to pass on the costs to Northern Health, doesnt help.

If we cant get the straight goods on this issue then we may as well get rid of it, and let the chips (teeth) fall where they may.

Regardless of whether or not fluoride is a good idea to ingest is really not the only question. The issue we should be looking at is whether putting it in our water is an effective way of getting it to the people. I agree with Palopou. Most city water is not drunk. Rather, it is flushed down toilets, watered onto lawns, put through washing machines, etc. If you really feel you need the fluoride in your life, then buy the little tablets from the pharmacy, as my parents did when I was young (because we lived in an area that did not flurodate the water). I bet you could buy a lot ob tablets for $50,000 andthen people would ahve a choice.

“My new hygienist laughed at me when I asked if we had to do fluoride. She said “no, we only do that now if there is evidence from our exam that it would be beneficial” and that “brushing you teeth regularly is all you need”.

The problem is that many people don’t take care of their teeth, and worse, parents aren’t passing good oral hygiene habits onto their kids. Regardless of what one hygenist told you off the cuff, pretty much every major health authority supports the use of fluoride in drinking water.

The fluoride that is added to the water is not the naturally occurring compound. It is in fact a byproduct of the aluminum smelting process. The chemical that is being added is a type of fluoride but is classified as a dangerous substance.It cannot be disposed of in a cost effective way by industry so it is bled off into our municipal water supplies. The effect it may or may not have on our dental health is inconsequential in comparison to it’s effect on our brains.
Simply put, it makes us complacent. Something in it makes us no longer care and stop asking so many questions. We cannot escape the negative effects because it is absorbed through our skin when we bathe. Given the current state of municipal affairs the current counsel would probably prefer this type of city resident.
It is obvious to me that when fluoride is removed from a water supply that the people in the area seem to awaken and begin to move forward. Perhaps fluoride is the reason for the types of backward policies and practices we experience here on a fairly frequent basis.
The world has heard of Prince George and not in a good way. It is time the City of P-U P-G adopted some progressive strategies instead of a new document (OCP)that only serves to preserve the regressive reputation of the city.

Henri, you may want to adjust your tinfoil hat.

Fluoridate sugar.

JohnnyBelt; The Vancouver Coastal Health Authority might disagree with your assertion. They are a fairly major health authority don’t-cha think.

“The problem is that many people don’t take care of their teeth, and worse, parents aren’t passing good oral hygiene habits onto their kids”

That would probably fall under the “we only do that now if there is evidence from our exam that it would be beneficial” part of what she said, LOL :)

From the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority website:

http://www.vch.ca/about_us/news/archive/2011-news/fluoride-in-your-water

Why have some communities stopped water fluoridation?

There are some communities that do not provide fluoridation and some have stopped completely.

The usual reasons are unfounded fears about harmful effects — they also face increased incidence of tooth decay. Indeed, the evidence shows increased levels of caries and dental problems following the cancellation of fluoride programs in these communities.”

and…

“An expert panel assembled by Health Canada in 2007 stated unequivocally that “community drinking water fluoridation is still an effective public health method to reduced the prevalence of dental caries in the Canadian population.” We agree.”

About Fluoride and Drinking Water in Vancouver BC

Tap water supplied by the Metro Vancouver Water District is not fluoridated. It contains less than 0.05 mg/l of naturally occurring fluoride. Potential health concerns related to drinking water in Vancouver BC and surrounding communities supplied by Metro Vancouver are listed here.

Vancouver Costal Health is not the final authority in the lower mainland, it seems the residents are more in control than we are led to beleive. The people objected and the city responded, when will our “fair” city stop resiting and start listening. We do not wish to be poisoned anymore PLEASE.

wow am I glad Im on a well. lol

Henri: “JohnnyBelt; The Vancouver Coastal Health Authority might disagree with your assertion. They are a fairly major health authority don’t-cha think.”

Henri: “Vancouver Costal Health is not the final authority in the lower mainland”

So which is it Henri? I would be prepared to listen to the anti-fluoride people, but unfortunately, pretty much all of them are like Henri.

It’s about choices JohnnyB. I would like to choose my own dose of fluoride whether its good for me or not. The city of PG has no business medicating our water. Just like the city of pg has no business limiting how much you excercise when we all know that exercising is good for your health.

The easiest way to save money is to not spend it.

Ergo: stop putting $50k-$70k a year into something many are opposed to.

JohnnyB, Please read this article and apply the wisdom as you see fit. I am not some fool in a tin foil hat as you say nor am I disposed to hide my head in the sand.
I feel you are an intelligent individual and I would not want you to be ill informed.
Fluorine should not be confused with fluoride, although in the early fluoridation literature the words were used interchangeably. Fluorine is an element. Fluoride denotes that fluorine has combined with other elements and formed a compound, e.g. hydrofluosilicic acid (H2SiF6) sodium silicofluoride (NaSiF6) sodium fluoride (NaF) and calcium fluoride (CaF2).

Hydrofluorosilicic acid (H2SiF6) is one of the most commonly chosen chemical used to fluoridate public water supplies.

“Fluorine is an element. It is a gas, never occurring in its free state. In microscopic amounts complexed with other minerals, it is often listed as a trace mineral, a nutrient for human nutrition. This has nothing to do with “fluoride or fluoridation.” Yet the fluoride added to 90% of drinking water is hydrofluoric acid, which is a compound of fluorine that is a chemical byproduct of aluminum, steel, cement, phosphate, and nuclear weapons manufacturing.
Such fluoride is manmade. In this form, fluoride has no nutrient value whatsoever. It is one of the most caustic of industrial chemicals. Fluoride is the active toxin in rat poisons and cockroach powder. Hydrofluoric acid is used to refine high octane gasoline, to make fluorocarbons and chlorofluorocarbons for freezers and air conditioners, (think “FREON”) and to manufacture computer screens, fluorescent light bulbs, semiconductors, plastics, herbicides, — and toothpaste. It also has the ability to burn flesh to the bone, destroy eyes, and sear lungs so that victims drown in their own body fluid.

Once in the body, fluoride is a destroyer of human enzymes. It does this by changing their shapes. You’ll remember from the Enzymes chapter that in human biochemistry, thousands of enzymes are necessary for various essential cell reactions that take place every second we’re alive. (Howell) Without enzymes, we’d die instantaneously. Enzymes trigger specific reactions in the body. One way they do this is by having the exact shape necessary, like a key in a lock.

Fluoride Changes The Shape Of The Enzymes So That They No Longer Fit. Since enzymes are proteins, once they’ve been changed, they’re now foreign-looking. The body now treats them as invaders, even though they’re part of that body. This is known as an autoimmune situation – the body attacks itself. Another way to look at it: enzymes are long-chain proteins held in certain shapes. Hydrogen bonds are the Velcro strips that hold the enzyme in a certain shape. Fluoride comes along and hydrolyzes the enzyme: cuts the Velcro strips away. The shape collapses. No more enzyme; now just a foreign protein.”
Some of the contaminants reported as present in fluorine bearing substances hydrofluosilicic acid and other silicofluorides used in fluoridation programs include arsenic, barium, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, crystalline silica, fluorine, hydrogen fluoride, iron, iodine, lead, lead 210, mercury, phosphorous, polonium 210, radon 222, selenium, silica and silver. Some specific agents used or present in phosphate/hydrofluorosilicic acid processing include oil based de foamers, dioxins, polymers, petroleum products, naphthalene, chlorides, sulfides and synspar.

You forced me to post these links again, Henri.

—-

Health Canada statement on fluoride in drinking water (June 23, 2011):

“Health Canada continues to strongly support water fluoridation as a safe, effective and cost effective public health measure to help prevent dental cavities.”
“The safety and efficacy of water fluoridation has been frequently studied and continues to be supported by current science, and the beneficial effects of fluoride in the prevention of dental cavities have been well documented in scientific literature. “
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/media/ftr-ati/_2011/2011_82-eng.php

From the US Dept. of Health:
“One of water fluoridation’s biggest advantages is that it benefits all residents of a community—at home, work, school, or play,” said HHS Assistant Secretary for Health Howard K. Koh, MD, MPH. “Today’s announcement is part of our ongoing support of appropriate fluoridation for community water systems, and its effectiveness in preventing tooth decay throughout one’s lifetime.”
http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2011pres/01/20110107a.html

From the CDC:
“For 65 years, community water fluoridation has been a safe and healthy way to effectively prevent tooth decay. CDC has recognized water fluoridation as one of 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century. “
http://www.cdc.gov/fluoridation

From the World Health Organization:
“Water fluoridation in low fluoride-containing water supplies helps to maintain optimal dental tissue development and dental enamel resistance against caries attack during the entire life span. Fluoride in drinking water acts mainly through its retention in dental plaque and saliva. Frequent consumption of drinking water and products made with fluoridated water maintain intra-oral fluoride levels. People of all ages, including the elderly, benefit from community water fluoridation.”
http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/oralhealth/en/index2.html

From the Water Fluoridation Controversy Wikipedia page:
“The weight of the scientific evidence have found that at the dosage recommended for water fluoridation, the only clear adverse effect is dental fluorosis, which can alter the appearance of children’s teeth during tooth development. This effect is mildly cosmetic and is unlikely to represent any real effect on public health.[8] Despite opponents’ concerns, water fluoridation has been effective at reducing cavities in both children and adults.”
“Opposition to fluoridation has existed since its initiation in the 1940s.[1] During the 1950s and 1960s, some opponents of water fluoridation suggested that fluoridation was a communist plot to undermine public health.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_fluoridation_controversy

Another good page which debunks a lot of the claims made.
“You’ll also hear the claim that fluoridation has been banned in Europe. This is also completely untrue. In Europe it’s more common to fluoridate salt instead of water, thus bringing the same benefits via a different delivery method.” …
… “Let’s turn our eye onto one such community, Arcata, an idyllic coastal hamlet in northern California, that recently won this battle after a divisive and painful fight in the newspapers and in city hall. A principal champion of the science behind fluoridation is Kevin Hoover, editor of the Arcata Eye newspaper. In answering the flood of anti-fluoridation scare tactics, Hoover said:
There are no known victims. If there was a problem with municipal fluoridation, wouldn’t we have at least a few people who showed some signs of harm after 44 years? All the anti-fluoride people could say was that the victims are “undiagnosed,” but not why. They produced no victims, just lots of dubious statistics and horror stories with no provenance.”
http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4058

Canadian Cancer Society:
On the basis of current evidence, it appears unlikely that water fluoridation increases the risk of cancer, including osteosarcoma, in humans. At the same time, we know that there are many benefits to water fluoridation, especially for people who have less access to dental care.
http://www.cancer.ca/Canada-wide/About%20cancer/Cancer%20myths/Fluoride%20in%20water.aspx?sc_lang=EN

Most people in Prince George have been using flouridated water for 40 years more or less with no bad side effects.

There is no better prove that the whole flouride question is over blown than to talk directly to those who have used this water for 40 years.

So why dont they do that????

Hmmmmmm. Could it be because that would end the discussion.

Pretty much.

It is your choice to believe whoever or whatever you wish, to your own peril, please do not subject us all to the same rhetoric. All links posted are from “Official” sources who have always had your best interests at the top of their list of benefactors.

I’ve read that fluoride causes an increase in calcium buildup on the pineal gland in the brain. I’ve also seen calcification of the pineal gland related to Alzeihmers. This is where Henri may be getting the link with how people think. I dont know about the scientific voracity of the following claim, but many spiritualists believe that the calcification of the pineal gland leads to a less engaged person, someone who isn’t in touch with the Creator or their higher selves, this easier to manipulate, becoming more likely to be ‘sheeple’.

People have a genuine concern about the benefits and risks of fluoridated water. I don’t think it does any good to discount valuable scientific information from either side.

That said, I also think we don’t need flouridated water. We can get fluoride for our teeth from toothpaste. We don’t need fluoride for anything else, so why add it to the water? Save the city $50,000, and put the money towards crime prevention or road maintenance.

Why is the city in the business of dosing out medication anyways? Do they have a degree in medicine or a permit to dispense medicine? Someone with more time on thier hands might be able to sue on grounds of the city medicating them without their knowledge. What about the people who don’t need the flouride for thier teeth (since this is what it is supposed to be for) because they have false teeth and no kids at home? Why should they be forced to still have this in thier water system? Why not just quit it, save some money for the taxpayers, and put the onus of healthy teeth on the person instead of spoon feeding them.

Henri: “It is your choice to believe whoever or whatever you wish, to your own peril, please do not subject us all to the same rhetoric.”

Oh, the irony.

PG has a pretty high cancer rate maybe not linked to fluoride but what if? What is hardening of the arteries caused by? Fluoride is a hardening agent that’s why it works well on your teeth. What if there is a link to hardening of the arteries and this hardening agent? No link has been found yet, but maybe that is because there isn’t any data on how many folks with these conditions compared to those that don’t to whether they consumed fluoride or not.

Energy drinks are bad for you yet people still choose to drink them. The people in Pg have no choice on getting a dose a fluoride every time they turn on the tap. Know anyone with a thyroid condition? What if?

Problem is statistically people are living longer now than they ever did. This includes people in Prince George.

Sooooo. If we are living longer even though we eat the wrong foods, drink the wrong drinks, and basically treat out bodies badly, why the hell would we be worried about a little flouride???

Is it going to take a few seconds off my lifespan??? Choclate bars, candy, potatoe chips, fast food, soft drinks, etc; will kill me a whole hell of a lot faster, than some flouride.

Lets have a ban on beer, whisky, wine, (whine) and fast food. Let not allow anymore exhaust from vehicles as it is detrimental to our health. Lets look into the effect of chewing gum. Can chewing gum over an extended period of time cause lock jaw?? If not why not.??.

Nao: “… leads to a less engaged person, someone who isn’t in touch with the Creator or their higher selves, this easier to manipulate, becoming more likely to be ‘sheeple’.”

I think the invention of the smartphone has done more in this area than a couple of PPM of fluoride.

JohnnyBelt… Could be!! Lol

I would like a vote on the issue. Personally, I take issue to Floride being added to our drinking water. I have done all I can to avoid and remove floride from my sources of drinking and cooking water. The health and condition of my teeth are the same as they were 35 years ago. It’s harder to avoid in the shower where my entire skin surface is exposed to the water daily.

I don’t need anyone to convince me either way. This is my preference. I do not feel this needs to be forced on us.

No one is force feeding you the junk food Palopu but if they were I’m sure you would be a little p’d off about it. So that is what the city of pg is doing, they are force feeding you this medication and you have no choice except moving to take your daily doses.

Only 5% of the world uses fluoridation because many large studies show fluoridation is totally ineffective in improving tooth decay and is dangerous to health (See fluoridealert.org). Only eight countries in the world actually fluoridate tap water. The citizens of these countries also have the distinction of having the highest rates of arthritis and thyroid disease, both side effects of excessive ingestion of fluoride.

Enlightened countries have rejected forced fluoridation — Belgium, all of the Scandinavian countries, France, Germany, Japan, Switzerland and so forth. Ninety-nine percent of Western Europe has rejected it on principle or for scientific reasons. In 2006, Israel suspended fluoridation based on studies that showed it does more harm than good. Also rejecting it is Japan, China, and India.
The reason most of the world rejects fluoridation is that they have learned it is ineffective for teeth and dangerous to health.

Fluoridealert.org is a dedicated anti-fluoride site and not objective, but thanks.