My book, Kiss Your Dentist Goodbye, was written when Dr. Richard Carmona was Surgeon General of the United States. Dr. Carmona was concerned about the state of oral health in America and he graciously gave my book a glowing testimonial and his personal support. In chapter eight I explain why “community” water fluoridation (adding fluoride to drinking water) is so different from the use of a well-formulated fluoride toothpaste or mouth rinse. Some fluoride in oral products can have a beneficial effect on the outside of teeth – but then we spit it out.
Children with good teeth do not need fluoride. Young children are in the most danger from “fluorosis” – something that happens to enamel when fluoride in drinking water is ingested. It can create voids in tooth enamel that are seen as brown or chalky white spots in the enamel. More important is the concern that drinking fluoride can harm a young child’s thyroid. I believe this may be a great risk for young girls, potentially impacting their fertility as adults.
Fluoride cannot prevent cavities, although it can help repair already-damaged teeth. Fluoride is like a “pill” to “fix” but it does nothing to prevent the “illness” of cavities. If you need a “fix” then sodium fluoride appears to be the safest topical fluoride, and a tube of Crest Cavity Protection Paste at WallMart costs $2/ tube for a year’s supply! apply to the damaged tooth and then spit it out!
Cavities are caused by harmful bacteria – and these are easy to eliminate from a baby’s mouth with a few xylitol crystals wiped on erupting teeth daily. Xylitol feeds healthy bacteria in a baby’s, toddler’s or adult’s mouth. Once healthy bacteria gain a foot-hold, they protect teeth from plaque and this will prevent cavities.
Remember these important facts:
1. Cavity “disease” is a completely preventable bacterial disease.
2. Cavities are not genetic. Harmful bacteria travel from mouth to mouth by kissing and sharing food and utensils.
3. Fluoride has no effect on cavity-causing bacteria and does not prevent unhealthy germs from spreading to friends and family, and potentially building plaque to damage teeth and gums.
4. Fluoride can help rebuild damaged teeth as a “fix” – but fluoride is not a solution for plaque or plaque’s health-damaging effect.
5. Studies show daily xylitol eradicates 98% of plaque from teeth.
6. When baby teeth are “cleaned” with xylitol, healthy bacteria become a barrier – offering long-term protection to erupting teeth.
7. The Center For Disease Control (CDC) self-reports fluoridation as “one of the greatest .. achievements of the 21st Century”. They completely ignore the fears and dangers of fluoride consumption.
Our current US Surgeon General appears to take the ADA’s traditional position on drinking fluoride. Notice when you listen to Dr. Murthy’s video that he never says “fluoride PREVENTS cavities”. The truth is fluoride can only “fix” existing weakness (to reduce the prevalence and severity of cavities – it does nothing to eliminate plaque or prevent infection – which continues). Listen as he infers poor people have worse teeth because of their zip code. Remember thyroid health, fertility effects in girls, and fluoride’s lack of effect on plaque, are never mentioned.
Here is the You Tube Video of US Surgeon General, Dr Vivek H Murthy on water fluoridation:
Categories: Cavities, Children's Teeth, Fluoride, Fluoride Treatment, Prevention, Remineralization, Uncategorized, Xylitol
Can I repoly to this e-mail
sure! We will be checking for it!
Hi Dr. Ellie,
I have been using xylitol for improved oral health and was hoping to start giving my boys xylitol water but I first wanted to enquire whether xylitol depletes magnesium as I would like to add the xylitol to their mineral water I give them.
Thank you in advance for your reply,
Christine
The way xylitol works means it is more effective if you do NOT put xylitol into water. It is not that it interacts with magnesium – it is just not the way it works. Xylitol in the mouth stimulates a flow of alkaline saliva – and it is this saliva that heals teeth and strengthens them. Mints, gum or just granular xylitol directly eaten at the end of a meal or after a drink would be the way to go.
How dangerous is the water of our community if it has 0.7 ppm fluoride? I live in a tiny rental and cannot really install a good filter. I could use bottled water, but I don’t know if all the plastic exposure would be worse than the fluoride. We have a 7-year-old girl and 4-year-old boy. Do you have any thoughts in this?
Thank you!
First of all, I’d suggest you ask if your water is perhaps “naturally” fluoridated. This seems too low for any artificial “fluoridation” which is usually 2-4 ppm.
Fluoride is often found in soil, and so fluoride can be present naturally in certain water supplies.
Where I live in Austin, naturally occurring fluoride is at a concentration of 0.4ppm – which is about ideal for a warm climate where people drink a substantial amount of water.
Sadly Austin City “bought” the dental association argument and ADDED EXTRA fluoride to bring the level up to 2ppm.
This is unfortunate in my opinion, but it is how most Cities behave (because they get “support” =$$$ for adding fluoride).
If your water is at 0.7ppp it seems too “low” for this to be “fluoridation” so you should be fine drinking it. I would consider testing for lead…..and if this is at a safe level – you should be fine. Your four and seven-year-old are old enough to be beyond the danger of “fluorosis” but be aware and perhaps limit your exposure to iced and other teas – which have a VERY high fluoride content.