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Fluoride
Myths
Versus
Facts
Myth:
Fluoride
is
harmful
and
ineffective.
Fact:
Every
major
scientific
fluoride
study
conducted
over
more
than
a
half
century
has
found
fluoride
to
be
the
single
most
effective
method
for
preventing
tooth
decay.
The
safety
of
water
fluoridation
is
the
most
studied
public
health
issue
in
American
medical
history.
Myth:
Adults
do
not
benefit
from
fluoridation
because
their
teeth
are
formed.
Fact:
Several
studies
show
that
adults,
even
in
their
60's,
who've
lived
in
areas
with
fluoridated
water
have
much
less
tooth
loss
and
decay
than
adults
who
do
not
have
fluoridated
water.
Because
people
are
living
longer
and
keeping
their
teeth
longer,
the
problem
of
decay
on
the
root
surfaces
of
teeth
is
increasing,
especially
among
the
elderly.
Fluoride
helps
prevent
root
caries.
Myth:
Fluoride
accumulates
in
the
body
and
causes
a
form
of
poisoning.
Fact:
Fluoride
is
not
toxic
and
is
classified
by
the
National
Research
Council
as
an
important
trace
ion
in
tooth
nutrition.
It
is
an
all-natural
element
similar
to
other
common
substances
like
salt,
iron
and
vitamins.
No
adverse
side
effects
have
been
experienced
by
the
millions
of
people
who
have
drunk
fluoridated
water
at
optimum
levels
for
over
50
years.
Myth:
Fluoridation
is
expensive.
Fact:
Fluoride
is
a
bargain.
It
costs
an
average
of
$0.50
per
person
per
year,
far
less
than
the
cost
of
a
single
tube
of
toothpaste.
The
use
of
fluoride,
in
water
or
as
a
rinse,
tablet,
or
topically-applied
in
a
dentist's
office,
drastically
reduces
the
cost
of
dental
care
and
health
insurance
by
prevention
of
tooth
decay
and
other
dental
diseases.
Myth:
Fluoridation
is
mass
medication
by
the
government.
Fact:
Fluoride
is
not
a
medicine.
Under
government
control,
municipal
water
supplies
already
contain
other
elements
designed
to
make
water
safe
to
drink.
Fluoride
is
found
in
water,
soda,
beer,
juices,
tea,
and
other
products
consumed
by
hundreds
of
millions
of
people
around
the
world
daily.
Picture
one
inch
in
16
miles
of
roadway
if
you
want
to
appreciate
how
small
the
amount
of
fluoride
is
needed
in
water
to
prevent
tooth
decay.
Myth:
Fluoride
causes
hip
fractures
in
the
elderly.
Fact:
A
study
reported
by
the
Dental
News
Digest
found
that
fluoride
has
helped
rebuild
bone.
Myth:
Fluoride
causes
cancer,
kidney
damage,
skeletal
fluorosis,
genetic
damage
to
chromosomes,
a
decrease
in
fertility,
an
acceleration
in
aging,
and
does
not
help
prevent
tooth
decay.
Fact:
There
is
no
scientific
evidence
to
support
any
of
these
allegations.
Myth:
Opponents
have
scientific
facts
and
major
dental
and
health
organizations
supporting
their
claims.
Fact:
Many
of
these
organized
groups
use
issues
such
as
freedom-of-choice
and
anti-pollution
arguments
to
try
to
win
over
voters
and
turn
fluoridation
into
a
political
issue
instead
of
a
health
issue.
Anti-fluoridationists
use
scare
tactics
to
spread
false,
irrelevant,
and
misleading
information
-
often
from
obscure
journals
or
publications
-
to
try
to
raise
doubts
in
voters'
minds.
Fluoride
supporters
are
backed
by
major
health
and
dental
groups,
including
the
American
Dental
Association,
the
American
Medical
Association,
the
Mayo
Clinic,
the
Centers
for
Disease
Control
and
Prevention,
the
Center
for
Science
in
the
Public
Interest,
the
National
Health
Council,
the
National
Academy
of
Sciences,
the
National
Cancer
Institute,
and
the
World
Health
Organization.
Fluoride
Myths
Versus
Facts
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