To: maine-iac7
I don't know where to start...the same old hysteria all over again. There are plenty of places in this country that have naturally occurring fluoride in the groundwater. Optimum fluoridation levels for public water systems are .7-1 ppm(parts per million). Higher levels will probably cause mottled enamel. They're finding out now that many cases of mottled enamel are not due to fluorosis, but overuse of the antibiotic Amoxicillin. The reason they warn of injesting more than a "pea-sized" amount of toothpaste is not only due to the fluoride, but also the other ingredients in the toothpaste that can be toxic when ingested. Be especially careful when using the Chinese made toothpaste you bought at the dollar store...they tend to use ethylene glycol(antifreeze) as a sweetener rather than propylene glycol. Fluoridated water only affects teeth that haven't FORMED yet.(It gets into the enamel matrix and makes it more dense, hence more resistant to plaque acids.) Flouridated water has NO effect on the teeth that are visible in your mouth. Fluoride MOUTHWASH has a topical effect to prevent cavities because it is much more concentrated than fluoridated water. I live in PA, and our lovely Governor, "Fast Eddie" Rendell signed a law requiring communities of more than 500 households to have the water supply fluoridated. If anything, this will only serve to be a huge economic burden on many communities. Fluoride vitamins come in bottles of 180 tablets or less. That way, even if a child accidentally eats the whole bottle, it is less than the toxic dose. BTW, if your child accidentally injests too much fluoride, give them milk. The fluoride will bind to the calcium.
To: toothfairy86
Where did you go to dental school?
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson