Fluoride Alarm Grows?

Here’s a shocking fact: The average tube of toothpaste has enough fluoride to kill a child.

Yet fluoride is enthusiastically hailed in ads as a dental savior and is touted by legions of dentists, parents, and governmental agencies. Yet toothpaste with fluoride must carry a poison warning and directions to seek medical attention if more than the recommended amount is ingested.

While fluoride is credited with helping prevent cavities — which can also kill through infection — the naturally occurring mineral is dividing the medical community and prompting governmental review of how much is too much. More than half of the country’s community water supplies have added fluoride. But now, many experts are calling for a change, citing the fact that fluoride is in most toothpaste and mouthwash — and sometimes even in commercial drinks.

Almost half of U.S. adolescents have fluorosis. But the risks may reach much further than mottling of tooth enamel. David Brownstein, M.D., a board-certified family physician, points to water fluoridation as a likely source of serious illness.

“Fluoride poisons hundreds of enzymes in the body,” says Dr. Brownstein