Association refutes anti-fluoridation messages in media reports
|
Posted Aug. 15, 2007 |
By Craig Palmer Washington—The Association is working with national media outlets and advising the tripartite membership on a resurgent opposition to community water fluoridation. An opposition coalition recently urged Congress to renew a fluoridation inquiry that waxed and waned in the 1950s and early 1970s.
No hearings are planned by congressional committees, but there has been an uptick in media interest in fluoridation.
"Absolutely fluoride is safe," Dr. Sally Cram, ADA consumer advisor, told the Washington, D.C., ABC-TV affiliate. "It's effective. It has reduced the decay rate in the population by about 20-40 percent over the last 60 years." The WJLA-TV "fluoride controversy" transcript is available online  .
The Association is also working with a national news magazine on what may be a similar report, said Dr. James B. Bramson, executive director. "Once [the magazine] publishes the article, we will notify tripartite societies and individual members and provide them with information to help them reply to questions about fluoridation from local media, public officials and patients."
In an Aug. 10 "Dear Friends" e-mail message, Dr. Bramson cited the recent television report. The purpose of the e-mail was to address what he characterized as "misstatements," "half-truths" and other "disservice to the public" from statements made in the WJLA report and to offer links to accurate information. The italicized statements that follow are from a transcript of the WJLA "fluoride controversy" report.
Water fluoridation has not been proven safe.
In fact, community water fluoridation has been studied extensively. There are hundreds of scientific reports, many in peer-reviewed publications like the Journal of the American Medical Association and the American Journal of Public Health, showing that water fluoridation, aside from being an effective means of preventing dental disease, does not contribute to the adverse health conditions attributed to it by fluoridation opponents. In addition to the ADA, nearly 100 national and international organizations recognize the public health benefits of community water fluoridation for preventing dental decay. They include the World Health Organization, the U.S. Public Health Service, the American Medical Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
A 2005 Centers for Disease Control study found too much fluoride has caused irreversibly discolored teeth in one out of three children.
The alarming words "irreversibly discolored" do a disservice to the public. The actual statistic is 32 percent and refers to "mild fluorosis," which is often so slight that only trained professionals can notice it during dental examinations. In fact, the CDC report that included this statistic actually found that overall oral health has improved drastically in recent years, in large part because of preventive measures such as dental sealants, regular dental visits and community water fluoridation. The CDC's mention of fluorosis is only incidental to the overall report. The CDC Division of Oral Health continues to support expansion of community water fluoridation throughout the nation.
A major report by the National Academy of Sciences says toxic levels can lead to severe, permanent pitting of the enamel in children. Fluoride can also build up in the bones to cause pain, stiff joints, and skeletal abnormalities when they get older.
This statement is another half-truth and doesn't convey the full import of the NAS study in question. The study only addresses the levels of naturally occurring fluoride in drinking water that exceed the Environmental Protection Agency's current recommendations. The report in no way examines or calls into question the safety of community water fluoridation, which is the process of adding fluoride to public water supplies to reach an optimal level of 0.7-1.2 ppm in order to protect people against tooth decay.
More information about the Association’s community water fluoridation policies is available by calling the Council on Access, Prevention and Interprofessional Relations via the ADA toll free number, Ext. 2862.
|
