- Campaigners against the dangers of water fluoridation
are taking their fight to Sheffield where 24 junior schools are considering
adding fluoride to children's milk. Jane Jones of the National Pure Water
Association (NPWA) described the move as "wholesale fluoridation of
the British water supply through the back door," adding, "By
showing that children are unharmed with this 'wonderful public health
measure'
the local health authority aim to show it's good for all of us. But none
of the governors at the schools we've talked to are in favour. One senior
governor at Parkhill Junior School was so concerned she said she would
be taking the matter up with the LEA (local education
authority)."
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- A Green Party spokesperson said: "There are
widespread
concerns about the health effects of such additives. We need to inform
the public of the dangers of ingesting fluoride from all sources, including
toothpaste."
-
- In Britain six million people, mainly in the W Midlands
and North East, already drink fluoridated water and across-the-board
fluoridation
is an ever increasing likelihood. The British Dental Association (which
makes thousands of pounds from accreditation of fluoride products) and
the British Medical Association are lobbying hard to change the law in
this direction. The Government has just commissioned the Medical Research
Council to look into the ramifications of such a move.
-
- This comes on the back of the Government's own White
Paper Saving Lives: Our Healthier Nation (1999) endorsing water
fluoridation.
Under current legislation water companies are not forced to fluoridate
if health authorities so request, however with a previous Government funded
review (York Review 1999) finding fluoridation 'safe and effective' it
could well change the law to legally oblige them to do so. This could
result
in councils holding referenda up and down the country, thus removing their
own indemnity, while leaving potential victims of adverse health effects
with no legal redress.
-
- Dental fluorosis characterised by discoloured, blackened,
mottled, or chalky white teeth is a clear indication of overexposure to
fluoride in childhood, while a chronic intake of excessive fluoride can
lead to severe and permanent bone and joint deformations. Early symptoms
can include joint stiffness, headaches and muscle weakness. These are the
warning signs, the next stage is osteosclerosis - hardening of the bones
including the spine and major joints. Both dental and skeletal fluorosis
is irreversible and no treatment exists. Because half our fluoride intake
remains accumulated within the body older people and especially those with
heart and kidney problems are also at risk from related conditions
involving
fluoride toxicity.
-
- As well as a naturally occurring chemical, fluoride is
a by-product of the aluminium and fertiliser industries and fluoridation
is a cheap way for these industries to get rid of it.
-
- Basically it inhibits enzymes that cause tooth decay,
however according to leading scientists its harmful effect on other enzymes
outweighs the benefits. First added to water supplies in the US during
the 1950's. fluoride has since spread to parts of Australia, New Zealand,
Canada and Ireland. In the words of former US Environmental Protection
Agency scientist Dr Robert Carton. "Water fluoridation is the greatest
case of scientific fraud of this century, if not of all time."
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- ______________________
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- Jan Goodey is a freelance journalist.
-
- For more info:
- www.npwa.freeserve.co.uk
- www.greenparty.org.uk
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