NO It's not worth the risk!!! Vote NO!

[Peter]

Last night's forum on Fluoride, held at the Rec Complex gave excellent insights into the chemical, historical and ethical reasons why fluoridation must be stopped. Once again the pro-fluoride side refused to show up and offer any proof or science to back their rote opinions and endorsements.
The audience was treated ...to great speeches, especially from Dr. Paul Connett a chemist, leader of the Fluoride Action Network and global fighter against fluoridation and Heather Gingrich, a medical geologist who cautioned us against environmental damage. Franklin Ramsoomair, a candidate in the Waterloo mayoral contest gave a passionate talk as well.
Sadly, no reporters from the Record were on hand. From the evidence of Friday morning's paper, The Record seems content to reprint 'talking points' from the O.D.A. instead of actually investigating this issue. Thanks, therefore, to the Chronicle for their continued interest and professional approach to this topic.

[taylortbb]

The Record seems content to reprint 'talking points' from the O.D.A. instead of actually investigating this issue.

What The Record is doing is called responsible journalism. Rather than simply presenting both sides and calling it balanced, they're looking at the facts and reporting appropriately. The simple truth is that science is on the side of fluoridation. Studies which have concluded fluoride is harmful have not been published in reputable peer-reviewed scientific journals. Until they are peer reviewed and published the conclusions of those studies are highly suspect and cannot be considered fact. Reporting a small group of people with questionable evidence as equal to the conclusions of peer reviewed scientific journals would be irresponsible on the part of the The Record.

[smably]

Still waiting to see the evidence regarding contaminants...
http://www.wonderfulwaterloo.com/sho...5985#post15985

[Robert]

I asked a professor of toxicology (who does not live in Waterloo region and has no stake in our debate) what he thought about fluoridating water. He supported it, saying the data are clear that it improves dental health. When I asked about ill effects on the rest of the body, he said that the first symptom of getting so much fluoride that it would damage your health would be visible scaling on your teeth. So, it would be visibly evident to everyone, and our dentists, if we were being harmed by too much fluoride.

And if the argument is against the trace metals in the "waste" that is used to fluoridate water, we are indeed still waiting on this forum for actual concentrations.

[Waterlooer]

You want to drink water that has chemicals in it??? Like mercury and arsenic and others I forget. These are all in fluoridated water. And dentists are saying the fluoride is good for our teeth... true, but instead of drinking all the toxic stuff, just brush and floss your teeth everyday... as simple as that. I can't understand why people are wanting to drink water with chemicals... it makes no sense whatsoever.

[cambridge-city-boy]

So we all know that fluoride is good for our teeth... but is it good to be ingested into our system? There has been no long term study on the effects of fluoride being ingested into the human body. I personally believe that more tests should be made, to determine whether or not this "treatment" is healthy for us, maybe it would explain the sudden increase of certain diseases such as cancers that have been flourishing lately.

[IEFBR14]

I can't understand why people are wanting to drink water with chemicals... it makes no sense whatsoever.

There has been no long term study on the effects of fluoride being ingested into the human body.

We've been adding iodine to salt for even longer. I assume you both want to stop that too.

Oh and BTW since salt also contains trace contaminants like heavy metals I suppose you want to ban all added salt from prepared foods and to stop adding salt to the food you prepare at home?

Good luck with that.

I personally believe that more tests should be made, to determine whether or not this "treatment" is healthy for us, maybe it would explain the sudden increase of certain diseases such as cancers that have been flourishing lately.

The problem is that our drinking water (and food) contains trace amounts of all sorts of contaminants including really gross stuff like excreted pharmaceuticals (e.g. birth control pill hormones) and all sorts of wicked stuff that people poured down the drain that couldn't be totally filtered out. How do you propose to eliminate all of that?

Yes, some of these contaminants are implicated in cancers. But the problem is how do you know which contaminants are dangerous at present levels and which aren't? And where is the evidence that links fluoridated drinking water with cancer? Remember we get fluoride in other ways too, e.g. some occurs naturally in drinking water, some gets introduced through toothpaste, some jurisdictions add fluoride to table salt instead of water (e.g. Germany), etc.?

It's not clear that fluoride and/or fluoridation causes cancer. It's even less clear that fluoridation of drinking water causes cancer. Unless of course you're one of those tin-foil hat types who sees conspiracies behind everything society does.

[WatDot]

Oh and BTW since salt also contains trace contaminants like heavy metals I suppose you want to ban all added salt from prepared foods and to stop adding salt to the food you prepare at home?

Actually there is a push to reduce salt intake from prepared foods just like there is a push to reduce fluoride intake by eliminating it from our drinking water. Why add crap when it's not needed?! Let the end user have control over what they add. Fluoride or salt!!

[Waterlooer]

Wow... thats horrible! I want to hear why people want fluoride in our water

[IEFBR14]

Actually there is a push to reduce salt intake from prepared foods just like there is a push to reduce fluoride intake by eliminating it from our drinking water. Why add crap when it's not needed?! Let the end user have control over what they add. Fluoride or salt!!

You missed my point. It's not about salt, but rather about iodine, which is added to salt in order to prevent "iodine deficiency [which] affects about two billion people and is the leading preventable cause of mental retardation."

[I'll try to resist the temptation to speculate whether the anti-fluoridation folks also refrain from using iodized salt ]

[WatDot]

You missed my point. It's not about salt, but rather about iodine, which is added to salt in order to prevent "iodine deficiency [which] affects about two billion people and is the leading preventable cause of mental retardation."

[I'll try to resist the temptation to speculate whether the anti-fluoridation folks also refrain from using iodized salt ]

I have to admit that got a chuckle out of me.