Fluoride: Killing Your Child’s Brain … Softly
Posted by freedomforall 10 years, 2 months ago to Science
Excerpt:
The average loss in IQ was reported as a standardized weighted mean difference of 0.45, which would be approximately equivalent to seven IQ points for commonly used IQ scores with a standard deviation of 15.* Some studies suggested that even slightly increased fluoride exposure could be toxic to the brain. Thus, children in high-fluoride areas had significantly lower IQ scores than those who lived in low-fluoride areas. The children studied were up to 14 years of age, but the investigators speculate that any toxic effect on brain development may have happened earlier, and that the brain may not be fully capable of compensating for the toxicity.
“Fluoride seems to fit in with lead, mercury, and other poisons that cause chemical brain drain,” Grandjean says. “The effect of each toxicant may seem small, but the combined damage on a population scale can be serious, especially because the brain power of the next generation is crucial to all of us.”
The average loss in IQ was reported as a standardized weighted mean difference of 0.45, which would be approximately equivalent to seven IQ points for commonly used IQ scores with a standard deviation of 15.* Some studies suggested that even slightly increased fluoride exposure could be toxic to the brain. Thus, children in high-fluoride areas had significantly lower IQ scores than those who lived in low-fluoride areas. The children studied were up to 14 years of age, but the investigators speculate that any toxic effect on brain development may have happened earlier, and that the brain may not be fully capable of compensating for the toxicity.
“Fluoride seems to fit in with lead, mercury, and other poisons that cause chemical brain drain,” Grandjean says. “The effect of each toxicant may seem small, but the combined damage on a population scale can be serious, especially because the brain power of the next generation is crucial to all of us.”
Some of the biggest looters are groups like the ADA. There is no rational scientific concensus that supports use of fluoride in water supply for dental reasons.
(If I have misunderstood your comment, I apologise ;^)
A visit to the Wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_fluor...) will reveal it's not even all that effective at the intended purpose, citing an 18%-40% reduction in cavities.
When people object to having the water fluoridated, they are basically called stupid and told to drink their water and shut up - the State Science Institute has determined this is good for you, end of discussion.
Whether Fluoride really is a damaging element to children's brains - I'm not qualified to say. The wiki on Fluoride does have a section discussing toxicology, so like most things this seems to depend on the dosing level. For those that believe it is a problem, it is not comforting at all to know they are being forced to pay tax money to have the water fluoridated, and then being forced to filter it out with further money at their home, leaving them to wonder where else they're getting exposed in the public spaces.
Even if scientific consensus says its safe...should one be forced to pay for it if they believe it is not? Keep in mind - Fluoride is in toothpaste. Europe does not have fluoridated water. Europe is not awash in cavity filled people.
At least the fluoride in toothpaste is voluntary. Although the market is overwhelmingly full of toxic fluoride toothpaste, one can find alternatives that work fine with no fluoride.