Anti-fluoride advocates provide ‘all sorts of wild, weird and whacky information’

By Spencer D Gear

Asking the Health Department or a dental or medical association member not to promote fluoride is like asking a Toyota service mechanic not to recommend Toyota vehicles (I drive a Toyota Camry).

Negative comments about opponents of fluoride

The Queensland Health Minister, Lawrence Springborg, has had some derogatory things to say against those who oppose the use of fluoride in a town’s drinking water.

I oppose fluoride in the drinking water because of scientific reasons and not because of Mr Lawrence Springborg MP’s claims, using a genetic logical fallacy, of “way out-there people” who get “all sorts of wild, weird and wacky information” (‘Queensland health minister Lawrence Springborg slams “way-out” flouride claims’, Courier-Mail/Quest, 14 December 2012).

Part of Lawrence Springborg MP’s claim in this newspaper article (online) was:

“On the internet you can get all sorts of wild, weird and wacky information because anyone can be an author and publish things as fact on anything.”

The comments follow Moreton Bay Regional Council’s decision to ask for a report on the issue after Cr James Houghton said fluoride was “poison’’.

Morayfield state Liberal National MP Darren Grimwade said: “I don’t know the science. I can’t really answer that one. I’m not paid to be a scientist.”

He said if he had to make a decision he would consult constituents and vote according to their views. “I’m paid to represent them.”

Pumicestone state Liberal National MP Lisa France said: “It’s been used in many other states for many, many years and doesn’t seem to have been a problem.”

Kallangur MP Trevor Ruthenberg said: “In terms of fluoride, I have no firm view. If Queensland Health says it is safe, then I trust their judgment.” Mr Ruthenberg said he had calls from his electorate supporting and opposing fluoride.

Pine Rivers MP Seath Holswich said: “I don’t know the science but I trust the professionals. But I understand that not every community feels that way, so I was pleased to see councils given the option (not to add fluoride to water supplies).”

Mr Springborg urged people to look for credible sources of information, such as Queensland Health.

I have written to each of these MPs to expose the weaknesses in their claims.

The science of fluoride

It’s time Mr Springborg read the science for the late 20th and early 21st century which tells me what fluoride can cause:

A Harvard University (hardly a dummy uni) research study, led by Dr. Elise Bassin, a dentist. In 2001, the PhD dissertation in 2001 for the Harvard School of Dental Medicine, found that “for males less than twenty years old, fluoride level in drinking water [about 1 part per million] during growth is associated with an increased risk of osteosarcoma’ “boys who drank water with levels of fluoride considered safe by federal USA guidelines are five times more likely to have a rare bone cancer (osteosarcoma) than boys who drink unfluoridated water. This research was published in a peer-reviewed journal, Cancer Causes and Control. Bassin found that ‘young boys had a five-to-seven fold increased risk of getting osteosarcoma by the age of 20 if they drank fluoridated water during their mid-childhood growth spurt (age 6 to 8)’. See Bassin EB et al. (2006). Age-specific Fluoride Exposure in Drinking Water and Osteosarcoma (United States). Cancer Causes and Control. 17 (4): 421–28.

Research of bone cancer figures has shown a 40% elevated rate in the Republic of Ireland (fluoridated) compared to Northern Ireland (unfluoridated).

A study at the University of Toronto confirmed Dr. Limeback’s worst fears. “Residents of cities that fluoridate have double the fluoride in their hip bones vis-a-vis the balance of the population. Worse, we discovered that fluoride is actually altering the basic architecture of human bones.”

Dr Hardy Limeback, PhD, DDS is Head of Preventive Dentistry at the University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada, former consultant to the Canadian Dental Association, has stated, “Children under three should never use fluoridated toothpaste. Or drink fluoridated water. And baby formula must never be made up using Toronto tap water. Never. In fluoridated areas, people should never use fluoride supplements. We tried to get them banned for children but (the dentists) wouldn’t even look at the evidence we presented.”

“97% of the western European population drinks non-fluoridated water. This includes: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Norway, Portugal, Scotland, Sweden, Switzerland, and approximately 90% of both the United Kingdom and Spain”. Why have these countries ceased to force fluoride on their people? In Belgium, it was stated, ““This water treatment has never been of use in Belgium and will never be (we hope so) into the future. The main reason for that is the fundamental position of the drinking water sector that it is not its task to deliver medicinal treatment to people. This is the sole responsibility of health services”. France’s position was, “Fluoride chemicals are not included in the list [of ‘chemicals for drinking water treatment’]. This is due to ethical as well as medical considerations”. Of Germany, it was declared: “The argumentation of the Federal Ministry of Health against a general permission of fluoridation of drinking water is the problematic nature of compuls[ory] medication”.

For more information on the science of why fluoride should not be added to our drinking water, see, Dr Paul Connett’s article, ‘50 reasons to oppose fluoridation’. Paul Connett PhD is a retired professor of chemistry (St. Lawrence University, NY, USA) who has been exposing the dangers of fluoride (based on the science) for some time.

Dr. Connett states that ‘Fluoridation is a bad medical practice’. His first 6 points of the 50 points are:

1) Fluoride is the only chemical added to water for the purpose of medical treatment.