Flouride - Any Reasons Not To?

[NevadaMama]

Not sure if this is the proper forum, but here it is anyway! We live in a community that does not add fluoride to the water. Our pediatrician recommended adding some fluoride drops to DD's water and wrote us a prescription for them at her last visit. I have yet to have it filled, because I have heard snippets here and there regarding the dangers of fluoride, but I haven't really had time lately to do any real research on the subject.

Has anyone else come across anything lately on this issue? I will probably end up not giving it to her, we do make it a point to brush her little teeth at least twice a day and she drinks A TON of water, so hopefully she is rinsing any residual bacteria away. To me fluoride just seems like another chemical to be pumped into her body - the ped rambled on about it in the same "please consider at least selectively vaccinating your child" spiel that we always get at her appointments

TIA mamas!

[treeoflife3]

personally, I don't think it is necessary.  Besides, if it were THAT important, they'd put it in toddler toothpaste, but they are always flouride free which is interesting considering they want babies to be consuming it in water which is a whole step further than just rubbing it on the teeth.

I haven't done a huge amount of research either, but I do know that I don't want to consume flouride so I especially don't want my little one to as well.  Maybe with more research I'd consider it in tooth paste to rub on the teeth, but I don't see why it needs to be ingested.

I wish our city didn't add it in!  i'm pretty jealous :D

[LittleBirdy]

Ingestion of flouride is not good!  Here is a reprint of an editorial written by a beloved area pedi (beloved by the mainstream, actually)

http://informedmoms.com/nutrFLOURIDE_art_Flouride%20Caan%20Herm%20Bones%20and%20Teeth.html

[WifeofAnt]

Fluoride swallowed does not help the teeth.  A quick google search of "fluorosis" gives a lot of information.  Dental fluorosis (caused by too much fluoride in the first 4 years of life) is shockingly common.  37% of children were found to have it in 2002.

Even if your water doesn't have added fluoride it can be naturally occurring and found in sources other than drinking water.  Anything processed with fluoridated water can contain fluoride (juice, soda, fish, soups).

[NevadaMama]

Originally Posted by LittleBirdy 

Ingestion of flouride is not good!  Here is a reprint of an editorial written by a beloved area pedi (beloved by the mainstream, actually)

http://informedmoms.com/nutrFLOURIDE_art_Flouride%20Caan%20Herm%20Bones%20and%20Teeth.html

Wow, that is a great article! Thank you so much, this is exactly the kind of info I was looking for. I'm forwarding it to DH and we will NOT be filling that fluoride script! I found this rather surprising:

"The American Dental Association issued a warning last November telling parents they should not give fluorinated water to infants under 12 months old. This is the first time that the ADA acknowledged fluoride is not healthy for young children. If fluoride were safe for young children, the ADA would not reverse their 40-year-old policy of giving fluoride to infants."

Why the hell did my ped give me a script for fluoride then?? I think I may need to find this ADA study and bring it with me to DD's next checkup.

[northerngirl]

Here's a couple of interesting books to check out. Library?

I would show him the ADA study. Curious as to what he would say.

[BathrobeGoddess]

Moved to dental

[lindberg99]

Originally Posted by NevadaMama 

"The American Dental Association issued a warning last November telling parents they should not give fluorinated water to infants under 12 months old. This is the first time that the ADA acknowledged fluoride is not healthy for young children. If fluoride were safe for young children, the ADA would not reverse their 40-year-old policy of giving fluoride to infants."

Why the hell did my ped give me a script for fluoride then?? I think I may need to find this ADA study and bring it with me to DD's next checkup.

I'm not sure but I believe that warning is to not use fluoridated water when mixing formula, not about giving fluoride supplements. I think the ADA still recommends fluoride supplements, so that is likely why your ped recommended them.