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Something nasty in the water?

Fluoride leaching from rocks is turning kids' teeth brown.

The maximum allowable limit of fluoride in US drinking water is too high, according to a report from the National Academies' research unit this week.

Read the story here.

Posted by Nicola Jones on March 27, 2006 10:39 AM |

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Comments

In the early 1950s we moved to Midland, Texas, on the High (Staked) Plains. Immediately we received reports of high natural fluoride in the public water supply which would cause the tooth defects well illustrated in the article. Incidentally, the SO4 level was also above health standards. The result was that nearly everyone above the poverty level used bottled water for drinkiing and cooking. That was the choice until (well after we had left) a surface water supply was developed. The lack of enforcement of water standards at the earlier time was evident and socially unacceptable. Obviously, those who knew the problem and could afford it were easily able to cope. Low economic and intellectually bypassed groups suffered. The need for well researched water standards is obvious. However, scrutiny of standards is also critical to avoid poorly based standards!

Posted by: Duff Kerr | March 27, 2006 05:03 PM

You've done your readers a disservice by quoting only Poole from the NRC Panel, and Stamm - a fluoridation proponent who was not even on the Panel.
The impression you give that the NRC report was not relevant to fluoridation is not at all helpful to informed debate - this would only be arguable if the ONLY source of fluoride exposure was the water supply.
The inclusion of Stamm's comments further assaults the intelligence of your readers - the report actually showed that more research was needed regarding the lower limit for adverse health effects - that dentists and other promoters will continue to defend their position regardless of the evidence is hardly News! History has shown that concerns of not only losing face, but also of litigation will keep promoters of misguided practices hanging on til the very end.

Posted by: caren mcconnell | March 27, 2006 08:52 PM

Is my memory defective, or was I taught that all compouns of floride are white? The floride creates defective enamel development, but the brown stains come from the other halides that travel with the floride.

Posted by: Joel M. Berger, DDS, JD | March 28, 2006 11:45 PM

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