Local dentists weigh in on fluoride health risks and benefits

Nationally and in Burke County, fluoride is at the center of debates about whether adding the mineral to drinking water supports good oral health or is a chemical that can cause health issues.

Respondents to The Paper’s poll on the subject heavily leans to keeping fluoride in the water.

The nomination and eventual confirmation of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services put a bull’s eye on fluoride. He has indicated federal pressure to eliminate fluoride additives in water is possible.

Some communities outside of North Carolina have preempted any directive. Since the November election, six cities in Florida have decided to no longer fluoridate water.

While local governments decide on their fluoride policies, it is up to the federal government to set and enforce maximum fluoridation standards. The substance is not required to be used; all that is required is informing the state of the system’s fluoride status.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), it helps prevent cavities and promotes good oral health.

In a statement from the American Dental Association, they are “ready to work with the new HHS Secretary and its leadership to find common ground and improve oral health nationwide.”

Last week, The Paper took a look at fluoride in Burke County’s water plants. This week, a reporter gets the perspective of the dental community.

HEALTH CONCERNS

Dr. John Cox, of Carolina Dentistry in Valdese, disagrees with adding fluoride to water, a position he arrived at after reading many studies. He has been a dentist since 1997.

“I’ve been looking at fluoride for a good while and reading on some of the studies even before all of this came out,” Cox said. I’m not, unlike most dentists, not a big proponent of fluoride. I recommend non-fluoride toothpaste, because they’ve completed a number of studies, and even with kids studies, they’ve shown that there’s a lot of lower IQ.”

He compared it to “a poison” and can cause health issues. His office limits fluoride usage and acknowledges there are few fluoride-free options on the market.

Instead of using fluoride-based products, he uses prophy paste and a food-grade hydrogen peroxide/toothpaste mix that kills a wide range of bacteria. He recommends fluoride-free toothpaste like Dr. Bronner’s.

He noted that many dentists in the 1990s were proponents of fluoride. He, however, noticed little difference.

If fluoride is removed from the water, Cox said people would probably be healthier and have fewer health issues. During his studies, he found that fluoride could cause cancer.

“I don’t think I would see much of a difference at all as far as a dental relation. I don’t think it really does it says … I think it’s more of a health concern, is what I see,” Cox said.

PRO-FLUORIDE

Other local professionals in the dental field have a different viewpoint.

Commenting on a Facebook post of The Paper regarding fluoride, Dustin Clarke asked that people talk to trained dental professionals before making decisions about fluoride. His profile shows he is a dental hygienist in Statesville.

“Yes, fluoride can be harmful if consumed in toxic doses. Considering the amount you’d have to consume from fluoridated water, you’d likely need to worry more about overhydration,” Clarke said. “Even prescription fluoride pastes are dispensed in amounts so that if a child got into the tube and consumed the whole thing that the adverse effects would be minimal (serious nausea being the most likely outcome).”

Another local hygienist, Revonda Stillwell, commented on the fluoride article from The Paper’s Feb. 15 edition.

“As a dental hygienist, I have seen the extreme amounts of decay in children’s teeth in a county that did not have fluoride in the water,” Stillwell said. “When I returned to work in Burke County the difference was amazing. The decay rate was so much lower here!

“Fluoride works to help prevent decay and is not toxic in very small amounts. I would hate to see us go backwards in our public health by removing fluoride from the water!”