After immersing myself in the fluoridation controversy, I have uncovered the following.

Despite pressure from dental groups, 99 percent of western continental Europe has rejected, banned, or stopped fluoridation due to environmental, health, legal, or ethical concerns.

Only about 5 percent of the world population is fluoridated and more than 50 percent of these people live in North America.

Australia, one of the most heavily fluoridated counties on Earth, still has high decay rates and studies have shown no difference in decay rates in fluoridated and unfluoridated areas.

The fluoride chemical added to water is an unprocessed industrial waste product from the pollution scrubbers of the phosphate fertilizer industry.

Two-thirds of U.S. communities, when given the chance to vote, have voted against fluoridation.

Due to increased exposure to fluoride, millions of children in the U.S. are developing damage to tooth-forming cells.

Dr. Hardy Limeback, biochemist and professor of dentistry at the University of Toronto and a former consultant to the Canadian Dental Association, had the following to say:

“Children under 3 should never use fluoridated toothpaste. Or drink fluoridated water. And baby formula must never be made up using Toronto tap water. Never. In fluoridated areas, people should never use fluoride supplements. We tried to get them banned for children but [the dentists] wouldn’t even look at the evidence we presented.”

If you wish to look deeper into the fluoridation controversy a good place to start is with the Fluoride Action Network at www.fluoridealert.org.

Ann Anda

Bar Harbor