It's in your water, it's in your toothpaste. But is fluoride in your best interest? Usually when we' re brushing our teeth, we're too tired to read the fine print on the toothpaste tube. But if you haven't noticed the new warning, you might be in for a surprise. "As with all fluoride toothpastes, keep out of the reach of children under 6 years of age. If you accidentally swallow more than used for brushing, seek professional assistance or contact a poison control center immediately." 

Professional assistance? Poison control? Sounds like a more appropriate warning for household cleaners than fluoride. But what does this imply for the 62 percent of Americans who get a significant amount of fluoride from their water supply? This has been a hotly debated topic ever since fluoride was first added to municipal water supplies in the mid-1940s, when studies showed that children living in areas where the water naturally contained fluoride had a decreased number of cavities. "Water fluoridation is the single most effective public health measure we have to prevent tooth decay and improve oral health for a lifetime," reads a recent American Dental Association (ADA) press release. 

But John R. Lee, M.D., a fluoride toxicity researcher since 1972, says the "myth" that fluoride fights tooth decay has been perpetuated via "clever propaganda." He believes adding fluoride to the water supply was a contrivance to dispose of waste byproducts from the fertilizer and aluminum industries. Health officials admit fluoride can be produced as an industrial waste byproduct, but they insist the chemical is purified before it's added to water. 

Back in the '50s and '60s, anti-fluoridation sentiments were dismissed by government officials as the rantings of extreme right-wing groups. Today, however, a growing number of doctors and researchers are expressing concern over public exposure to the chemical, which has led some cities, like Santa Cruz, Calif., to vote against water fluoridation. Jonathan Wright, M.D., medical director of the Tahoma Clinic in Kent, Wash., and another vocal critic of fluoridation explains, "When folks are fully informed [about fluoride], they usually turn it down." Even the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has raised a wary eyebrow, as evidenced by the warning label mandated in mid-1997 as part of its ongoing review of over-the-counter drugs. (The addition of fluoride makes toothpaste a drug.) 
 

The more studies that come out, the harder it is to ignore the issue. Even supporters acknowledge that fluoridation can lead to dental fluorosis, a condition characterized by white spots on developing teeth. Published studies have also linked fluoride with bone and neurological damage and lowered IQ levels in children. "The Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] has recognized the potential for the fluoride ion to cause adverse health effects and has established a Maximum Contaminant Level," says Joyce Donahue, Ph.D., a toxicologist in the EPA's Office of Water. But Wright claims that even in minuscule amounts, the chemical accumulates in body tissue and inhibits the action of an enzyme responsible for repairing damaged DNA, which left alone can lead to abnormal cell growth and cancer. And as for a study recently published in the Annals of Internal Medicine suggesting that fluoride may play a role in managing early osteoporosis, Lee calls the findings nonsense. "The effect of fluoride on bones is to make them thick with calcium deposits, but [that's] not the same as real bone. It doesn't mean the bones are stronger," he says. Adds Wright, "[Fluoride] is one of the most toxic materials on the planet, and allowing it to be added to our drinking water is unfathomable." 

Even so, fluoridation of water and toothpaste continues to be endorsed by various health authorities, including the ADA. A fact sheet put out by that group categorically denies that fluoride contributes to any heath problems. 

"Recent reviews of scientific literature'. have found no evidence of harmful effects from the ingestion of fluoride at recommended levels." But here's the rub: There's no way to know if you or your children are only getting recommended levels. In addition to the fluoride you inadvertently swallow when brushing, the chemical may be present in your tap water as well as in juice, soda and other water-based food products, if they're made in  locations where the water is fluoridated. 

All this doesn't necessarily mean you have to turn off your taps and stop brushing your teeth. You can find non-fluoridated toothpastes in most natural food stores. You can also avoid dental fluoridation treatments, drink bottled water or use a reverse-osmosis filtration system. That can be costly if installed in the home, but many supermarkets have the system and sell water from it. So there is something to smile about, after all. 

For more information, contact your state health service's Department of Public Drinking Water (listed in the Government blue pages) Or visit www.trufax.org.