The Truth About Fluoride

(Picture from Holistic Dental Institute)

For decades fluoride has been praised for its abilities to strengthen teeth and prevent cavities. It’s even been added to a majority of drinking water since the 1940s in efforts to improve peoples’ dental health.

However when you start digging into the research something about this narrative doesn’t quite add up. That something is actually many things. For starters “…fluoride is a waste product that is so toxic it is not allowed to be dumped in our landfills, and yet somehow it is routinely added to our water supply.” (1)

The types of fluoride added to our water over 90% of the time are silicofluorides. These silicofluorides are 85x more toxic than the naturally occurring calcium fluoride. (2) Silicofluorides are a toxic waste product from the phosphate fertilizer industry. (2, 3, 4, 5)

Rather than pay $1.40 per gallon (or more depending on how much cadmium, lead, uranium and arsenic are also present) to neutralize and properly dispose of silicofluorides, phosphate fertilizer companies sell non-neutralized toxic silicofluorides to the government to add directly into the public drinking water. (2, 5)

In other words, your tax dollars are going towards poisoning your own drinking water, because greedy phosphate fertilizer companies don’t want to pay to properly dispose of the chemicals they are releasing.

What Is Fluoride?

I’ve told you that silicofluorides are a toxic waste product of the phosphate fertilizer industry, but what about fluoride as a larger group, what’s that?

“Fluoride is the anion (negatively charged ion) of the halogen element fluorine.” (6) Fluorine is a pale yellow, highly toxic, and corrosive gas that is rarely ever found in nature due to its instability. Fluorine (like all halogens) is missing 1 electron in it’s valence shell, this is what makes it so unstable. (6, 7, 8, 9)

To gain stability, halogens must acquire another electron. When fluorine does, it becomes fluoride (F⁻). The negative charge of fluoride leads it to bind with positive charged elements in nature like calcium ions (Ca²⁺) to make calcium fluoride (CaF₂). (7, 8, 9) Silicofluorides contain silicon, fluoride, and sometimes another element (like sodium).

Many pro-fluoride organizations claim that nature thought of adding fluoride to water first. In this statement they are referring to calcium fluoride which is found in some water in nature. However the fluoride in our water, silicofluorides, are quite different. (9) Studies show that calcium fluoride doesn’t dissolve easily in water and less than 2% of it gets absorbed by animals and most of that is excreted in the urine. On the other hand silicofluorides dissolve much easier in water and a greater amount is absorbed. (9) This is one reason why silicofluorides are 85x more toxic than calcium fluoride. (2)

However even calcium fluoride is not benign. Studies show that animals given calcium fluoride developed mottled teeth, aka dental fluorosis. In dental fluorosis, fluoride causes calcification of the enamel which gives a white chalky appearance at first, which gradually turns brown, as seen in the picture below. (9, 10)

A few more notes about fluoride:

• It’s a cumulative toxins meaning it accumulate in the body (9)
• The FDA classifies fluoride as a prescription drug (2, 11)
• The National Research Council (NRC) of the National Academies classifies fluoride as an endocrine (hormone) disruptor stating that “fluorides have the ability to interfere with functions of the brain.” (3)
• The US Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) lists fluorides “among the top 20 of 275 substances that pose the most significant threat to human health.” (9)
• In Australia’s National Pollutant Inventory (NPI) “fluoride compounds were ranked 27th out of the 208 ranks.” (9)

Now that you know what fluoride is and some of the concerns about it, lets look at some specific negative health consequences of fluoride.

Health Consequences Of Fluoride:

1) Decreases Intelligence

Fluoride is a neurotoxin that has been shown to cross the blood brain barrier, decrease mental function, and decrease IQ. (1, 3, 9, 12) There is an “overwhelming weight of evidence that fluoride is neurotoxic. These include one hundred thirty human brain studies; two hundred forty-one animal brain studies; thirty-three cellular brain studies; and thirty review studies.” (3)

As far as IQ goes, as of 2019, there were 60 studies on IQ and fluoride, 53 of which showed a lowered IQ in children in communities with high fluoride exposure compared to communities with lower fluoride exposure. The average decrease in IQ was 7 IQ points. (3)

“It should be noted that a shift downward of five IQ points in a large population would halve the number of very bright children (IQ greater than one hundred thirty) and increase by over 50 percent the number of mentally handicapped (IQ lower than seventy). Such a downward shift would have both huge economic and social consequences for a country like the USA.” (3)

A decrease in IQ in children has also been correlated with an increased fluoride consumption of the mother during pregnancy. This was found in two separate studies one in Canada and one in Mexico. (12) In the Canadian study “An increase of 1 milligram of fluoride was associated with a decrease of almost 4 IQ points, where the overall association was driven by boys.” (12)

The Mexico study looked at 299 mother-offspring pairs and found a strong correlation between “fluoride exposure to the pregnant women (as measured in their urine) and lowered IQ in their offspring at age four and again at six to twelve years of age. Subsequently, in 2018, a study reported that the lowering of IQ in the same cohort also occurred in an earlier age range (one to three years).” (3)

Fluoride has also been linked with ADHD. “A 2015 study found a relationship between the prevalence of ADHD in the U.S. and fluoridation status by state; the higher the percentage of the state fluoridated, the greater the prevalence of ADHD.” (3)

In another study, rats exposed to fluoride in water were found to store fluoride in their brain tissue indicating that fluoride can pass the blood brain barrier. And high concentrations in the brain induced behavior changes. (12)

2) Calcifies The Pineal Gland

Fluoride has also been found to accumulate in the pineal gland resulting in the formation of phosphate crystals, aka calcification. (13) The pineal gland is a tiny gland in your brain responsible for the production of melatonin, maintaining the circadian rhythm, regulating the onset of puberty in females, and protecting the body from cell damage caused by free radicals. (13)

Once the pineal gland is calcified it becomes under active and struggles to maintain its normal functions. (13) This can lead to:

• Trouble sleeping
• Early puberty onset for women
• Breast cancer
• Increased oxidative stress
• Alzheimer’s Disease

(13)

“Even the first published fluoridation safety experiment based in Newburg, New York, supported the early puberty claims. As the authors uncovered, girls living in a fluoridated community reached puberty five months earlier than girls living in a non-fluoridated community.” (13)

The pineal gland is also called the third eye and associated with our connection to the divine in many cultures. A blocked third eye (aka a calcified pineal gland) is said to lead to confusion, uncertainty, cynicism, pessimism, and a spiritual disconnect. (14) Where as an open third eye is associated with telepathy, clairvoyance, lucid dreaming, astral projection, and a greater spiritual connection. (13)

Due to the mass fluoridation of water, most people over the age of 18 now have a calcified pineal gland. (13)

3) Increases Cavities

Despite fluoride’s mass claims to improve dental health and prevent cavities, it doesn’t do either of these. In fact some studies show it may actually make both worse!

“The largest study of tooth decay in America (by the National Institute of Dental Research in 1987) proved that there was no significant difference in the decay rates of 39,000 fluoridated, partially fluoridated and non-fluoridated children, ages 5 to 17, surveyed in 84 cities. The media has never disclosed these facts. The study cost us, the taxpayers, $3,670,000. Surely, we are entitled to hear the results.” (2)

Fluoride doesn’t prevent tooth decay, it delays it by provoking a genetic malfunction that causes teeth to erupt later than normal. Therefore in many studies the statistics are very skewed as teeth that have not yet erupted are counted as no decay. (2)

In one study, “… they claimed that the fluoridated Newburgh children age 6 had 100 percent less tooth decay; by age 7, 100 percent less; by age 8, 67 percent less; age 9, 50 percent less; and by age 10, 40 percent less. Obviously, the only reduction that really counted was the 40 percent by age 10, but the Public Health Service totaled the five reductions shown, then divided by 5 to obtain what they called ‘an over-all reduction of 70 percent.’ Had the Health Department continued their survey beyond age 10, they would have found that the percentage of reduction continued down hill to 30, 20, 0, and eventually the children drinking fluoridated water had more cavities–not less. The rate of decay is identical, once the children’s teeth erupt. In other words, this ’65 percent less dental decay’ is just a statistical illusion. It never happened!” (2)

Another interesting case is that of children from the African country of Uganda. These children have less tooth decay than American children. This is thought to be for 2 main reasons. One, most Ugandan children do not use fluoride tooth paste or have fluoridated water. And two they do not eat sugar and processed and refined junk foods like many Americans do. (15)

To dig more into the fluoride aspect, we can compare Ugandan children who live in high fluoride and low fluoride districts. “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.” (15)

Since these children had similar diets and lifestyle it leads me to believe that the fluoride played a major role in the cavity rates.

Further evidence supports this theory. For example, when looking at a different African population, we see the same results. “Children drinking 3.0 mg/L water fluoride have more cavities than children drinking .19 and .48 mg/L fluoride. In contrast, only 65% of fluoride-saturated American 10-year-olds are cavity-free and a, mere, 35% of 14-year-olds are cavity-free.” (15)

Another example can be seen in Europe. “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.” (15)

And another example can be seen in the “world’s largest study on dental caries, which looked at 400,000 students, [and] revealed that decay increased 27 percent with a 1ppm fluoride increase in drinking water. In Japan, fluoridation caused decay increases of 7 percent in 22,000 students, while in the US a decay increase of 43 percent occurred in 29,000 students when 1ppm fluoride was added to drinking water.” (9)

4) Increases Dental Fluorosis

I talked briefly about dental fluorosis in the “what is fluoride” section. To reiterate, dental fluorosis (aka mottled teeth) occurs when fluoride causes calcification of the enamel which gives a white chalky appearance at first, which gradually turns brown. (10, 23)

While many dismiss this as “just a cosmetic defect,” it actually predisposes tooth decay. Dr. Weston Price DDS further explained that excess fluoride in the water “even a small fraction of this concentration, when present in drinking water, greatly disturbs normal tooth and bone development, producing the unsightly disfigurement of brown stains and mottled enamel.” (8)

Dr. Price also stated that fluoride “… may ruin teeth of grazing animals, by making them so brittle that they break off.” (8)

It has long been known that fluoride is detrimental to dental health. “In 1944, the Journal of the American Dental Association reported: ‘With 1.6 to 4 ppm fluoride in the water, 50 percent or more past age 24 have false teeth because of fluoride damage to their own.’” (9)

The origins of fluorinating water came about from a dentist named H. Trendley Dean. In 1939 Dean examined the water from 345 communities in Texas. He found that high concentrations of fluoride in water correlated with high incidences of dental fluorosis. And he found that communities having about 1 ppm fluoride in the water supply had less incidences of dental fluorosis, by less he still meant 10% of the people. (9)

Based on that, Dean decided that 1 ppm fluoride in the water supply must be the perfect amount and many cities began adding 1 ppm fluoride to their water supply. However Dean’s report had left out some key facts. For instance, his report used data from the 21 cities that supported his claim, while leaving out the 272 other cities that did not show the same correlation! (9)

Later “in court cases Dean was forced to admit under oath that his data were invalid. In 1957 he had to admit at AMA hearings that even waters containing a mere 0.1ppm (0.1 mg/l) could cause dental fluorosis, the first visible sign of fluoride overdose. Moreover, there is not one single double-blind study to indicate that fluoridation is effective in reducing cavities.” (9)

Unfortunately this info has not reached much of the public and the lie that fluoride is good for your dental health has only snowballed. Meanwhile, “Currently up to 80 percent of US children suffer from some degree of dental fluorosis, while in Canada the figure is up to 71 percent. A prevalence of 80.9 percent was reported in children 12-14 years old in Augusta, Georgia, the highest prevalence yet reported in an ‘optimally’ fluoridated community in the United States. Moderate-to-severe fluorosis was found in 14 percent of the children.” (9)

5) Increases Skeletal Fluorosis

Skeletal Fluorosis is very similar to dental fluorosis. It’s also caused by fluoride calcification but in the bones instead of teeth. Skeletal Fluorosis is “a serious bone disorder resembling osteopetrosis and characterized by extreme density and hardness and abnormal fragility of the bones.” (7)

Skeletal Fluorosis can also cause joint pain and stiffness, bony outgrowths, bone fractures, and dyspnea, (difficulty in breathing because of the rigidity of the thoracic cage). (6)

“In more advanced cases of fluoride exposure, bones become held together by masses of new bone laid down in the joint socket, ligaments, and tendons. This results in the locking up of joints and permanent inability of victims to move or flex their joints. Vertebrae become fused at many places. This results in the characteristic ‘hunch back’ symptom of skeletal fluorosis,” as seen in the pictures above and below. (16)

(Pictures from SCRI Group)

Fluoride is a cumulative toxin meaning it accumulates in the bones overtime. This accumulation can alter the resorption (break down of weak parts of the bone so they can be rebuilt stronger) and the accretion (rebuilding) of bone tissue as well as the homeostasis of bone mineral metabolism. (17)

“Fluoride has [also] been shown to interfere with collagen formation in osteoblasts and chondroblasts. If, as pointed out, increased production of imperfect collagen or collagen-like protein results in mineralization of tissues which should not be mineralized, and vice versa.” (16) This leads to the previously mentioned side effects.

Research by Dr. Jolly and her team shows that as little as 0.7 ppm fluoride in drinking water led to bone deformities and Skeletal Fluorosis in India, with the occurrence and severity increasing with increasing levels of fluoride in the drinking water. (16)

“In the United States, Dr. George Waldbott also diagnosed some of the early symptoms [of Skeletal Fluorosis]… including arthritis and joint pains, as being due to the consumption of water fluoridated at 1 part per million.” (16)

More incidences of fluoride (this time airborne) causing arthritic symptoms can be found in Switzerland, Germany, Britain, United States, Canada, and North Africa. In one incident, “they had found in a brick manufacturing area about 50 miles outside of London where they reported that over 90% of the population was suffering from arthritis induced by air-borne fluoride.” (16)

6) Other Health Consequences:

Fluoride consumption has also been linked to:

• Hypothyroidism (3, 9)
• Death (12)
• Cancer (2)
• Genetic Damage (2)
• Damage To The Blood, Bone, Brain, Heart, Kidneys, Liver, Lungs, Thyroid, And Reproductive System. (1, 3)
• Hardening Of Arteries (16)
• Black Tarry Stools (9)
• Vomit (Sometimes Bloody) (9)
• Stomach Cramps Or Pain (9)
• Tremors (9)
• Constipation (9)
• Loss Of Appetite (9)
• Skin Rashes (9)
• Sores In The Mouth And On The Lips (9)
• Weight Loss (9)
• Accelerated Aging (9)
• Immune System Dysfunction (9)
• Gut Inflammation (9)

What You Can Do

The best thing you can do is to get a good quality water filter that removes fluoride. I chose to buy the Berky with the added fluoride filters, but any high quality water filter will do as long as it’s tested to remove fluoride. Remember to also avoid fluoride in products like tooth paste and mouth washes. Making your own toothpaste is a great option. I’ve been doing this for over 6 years and you can find my favorite toothpaste recipe here!

And if you want to learn more about what’s in tap water and why you should probably get a water filter, check out this post!

Works Cited

1. Griffin, Cole. “The Problem With Fluoride.” The Weston A. Price Foundation. 6 May 2019. https://www.westonaprice.org/podcast/186-the-problem-with-fluoride/

2. Shattuck, Anita. “Fluoridation: The Fraud of the Century.” The Weston A. Price Foundation. 15 May 2004. https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/environmental-toxins/fluoridation-the-fraud-of-the-century/

3. Connett, Paul. “Water Fluoridation.” The Weston A. Price Foundation. 25 April, 2019. https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/environmental-toxins/water-fluoridation/

4. “Where Does the Fluoride Added to Water Come from?” Fluoride Alert. 8 January 2012. http://fluoridealert.org/faq/where-does-the-fluoride-that-is-added-to-water-come-from/

5. Connett, Michael. “The Phosphate Fertilizer Industry: An Environmental Overview.” Fluoride Alert. May 2003. http://fluoridealert.org/articles/phosphate01/

6. “Does Berkey Remove Fluoride?” Berky Filters. Accessed 29 June 2021. https://www.berkeyfilters.com/pages/do-berkey-filters-remove-fluoride

7.”Fluoride Fact Sheet.” Water Quality Association. Accessed 29 June 2021. https://www.wqa.org/Portals/0/Technical/Technical%20Fact%20Sheets/2014_Fluoride.pdf

8. Price, Weston. “Nutrition and Physical Degeneration.” California: Price-Pottenger Nutritional Foundation. 2014. Print.

9. Schuld, Andreas. “Fluoride: Worse than We Thought.” The Weston A. Price Foundation. 14 April 2004. https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/environmental-toxins/fluoride-worse-than-we-thought/

10. “Mottled Enamel.” The Free Dictionary. Accessed 29 June 2021. https://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/mottled+tooth

11. “Nutrient or Drug?” Fluoride Alert. Accessed 29 June 2021. https://fluoridealert.org/researchers/fda/drug/

12. Aggeborn, Linuz and Öhman, Mattias. “The Effects of Fluoride in Drinking Water.” The University Of Chicago Press Journals. Accessed 29 June 2021. https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/711915

13. Krol, Casey. “Fluoride’s Effect On The Pineal Gland?” Truth About Fluoride. 17 June 2021. https://truthaboutfluoride.com/fluorides-effect-on-the-pineal-gland/

14. Murphy, Andye. “The Pineal Gland and The Third Eye Chakra.” Gaia. 26 February 2020. https://www.gaia.com/article/pineal-third-eye-chakra

15. Kopf, Carol. Fluoride Dangers. 11 December 2005. https://fluoridedangers.blogspot.com/2005/12/fluoride-causes-cavities.html

16. “Aging the Bone: The Degenerative Effects of Skeletal Fluorosis.” SCRI Group. Accessed 29 jUNE 2021. https://www.scrigroup.com/limba/engleza/100/Aging-the-Bone-The-Degenerativ43711.php

17. Krishnamachari, K A. “Skeletal fluorosis in humans: a review of recent progress in the understanding of the disease.” Progress in food & nutrition science vol. 10,3-4 (1986): 279-314.