My home county of Pinellas County Florida, the most densely populated in the state, voted to end fluoridation of its drinking water to about 700,000 residents by a margin of 4-3. The move will save taxpayers $270,000 per year.
The vote to end water fluoridation happened despite heavy opposition from dentists who insisted the move would cause more rotten teeth and harm the health of disadvantaged children.
Todd Pressman, a Pinellas County activist, describes it as a mood shift that is occurring across the country with the Tea Party representing only the tip of the iceberg.
The vote attracted nationwide attention likely due to the large number of people affected and the fact that Florida is a swing state and represents the pulse of the nation on many issues.
County Commissioner John Morroni who changed his mind on the issue the last time a vote was taken in 2003, said that the county should not be in the business of doling out medicine to the public any more than the federal government should mandate health insurance.
“People are not dying because they don’t have fluoride,” Morroni said.
Other commissioners who voted against water fluoridation noted conflicting evidence presented by both dentists and national health organizations. They also cited repeated complaints by taxpayers over the years about the overreach of government in putting drugs in the drinking water.
The Safety of Fluoride is Questionable at Best
Activists have lobbied for the removal of fluoride from drinking water for years and this victory in Pinellas County Florida is a huge win for the anti-fluoridation movement.
Even if water fluoridation really did reduce cavities – which is doubtful and it very well may increase tooth problems such as fluorosis (white spots) over the long term – the many health problems associated with exposure to the fluoride levels present in drinking water patently override any such questionable benefit.
Probably the most disturbing complication is that fluoride exposure reduces IQ in children.
To see the research yourself, this link details 76 studies on the reduction of IQ from fluoride.
The other huge side effect of fluoride is the depression of thyroid function.
Hypothyroidism is at epidemic levels in modern society and contributes to weight issues among other serious health challenges.
In a nutshell, fluoride is an enzyme poison. Â
Its presence in the body even in small amounts competes for the receptor sites on the thyroid gland. Â If fluoride occupies these sites instead of thyroid stimulating hormone, less thyroid hormone is manufactured resulting in a slow but steady decline in thyroid function.
Here’s the really scary part.
Fluoride displaces iodine in the body. Â
Without sufficient iodine, even less thyroid hormone will be produced and even taking iodine supplements may not help much if a constant infusion of fluoride is occurring via drinking water, toothpaste, dental fluoride treatments, etc.
In short, water fluoridation is an unmitigated public health disaster.
I applaud the Pinellas County Commissioners for eliminating fluoridation of the drinking water of its citizens. Â
Reference
This is wonderful news! I am happy for you! I wish the county I live in would stop poisoning the water with fluoride. Most European countries have stopped.. I hope this movement spreads.
I’m glad I live in Winter Springs where our water is NOT flouridated! With government budgets being an issue everywhere this should be a no brainer budget cut for every flouridated city or county!
If people don’t take a stand and stop the powers that be from putting whatever they want in the water supplies we will all end up looking like me.I think if someone wants to take flouride i’m sure you can buy tablets somewhere, i’ve noticed now they have even tried to sneak it into water filtration devices like britta, read the ingredients in your water filter, should be an option not an authoritative given…
@ Bonny Why don’t you email him the link to the 23 published studies that associate lower IQ with children who are exposed to fluoride. The link is on the blog post.
I’m going to be moving to St. Pete next year. I’m so happy to hear this news.
Unfortunately, the city of St. Pete is not included in this water fluoridation ban. Make sure you settle just outside the city limits in the unincorporated area of the county which is governed by the county commission and not the City of St. Pete.
Will do. Thanks for letting me know.
Densely Populated Florida County Rejects Water Fluoridation – The Healthy Home Economist http://t.co/8LyqRld2
Here’s hoping Pinellas’ neighbors follow their lead.
DOES REVERSE OSMOSIS REMOVE FLOURIDE??
I would not drink RO water. Just me.
If I had fluoridated water in my home, I would buy large glass bottles of spring water for drinking.
Hi Sarah, I’m interested to know why you wouldn’t drink RO water. Is it because it strips the water of minerals? If so, do you think adding himalayan salt puts enough minerals back into the water? That’s what I’ve been doing after reading it somewhere.
Yes, it strips out the minerals rendering the water acidic. I don’t feel adding salt is good enough. This is not to say that I won’t drink RO water from time to time if somewhere where that is all that is available. I just am saying I wouldn’t drink it regularly or accept that as the drinking water in my home.
Here’s a case in point: RO water kills kombucha. If you try to ferment kombucha cultures with RO water, it eventually kills them and they don’t create babies/the brew won’t ferment any longer. That to me speaks volumes.
Any thoughts on RO water for cooking? We just moved into a rental property with a well and I think at one point there was some concern about lead having contaminated the well water. We get shipments of spring water for drinking, and the kitchen has an RO filter on it. Do you think its an okay idea to use that water for cooking? And what about for showers/baths (where there is currently no filter)? Any recommendations on a filter for those?
That should be fine since you wouldn’t be using a lot of it.
Sorry Sarah, but I just had to interject on this point. I have been using RO water for years, and make Kombucha weekly with absolutely no problems. It ferments fine, and get great new babies most of the time.
Joan
I use RO water for my water kefir, but before I use it, I add it Concentrace Trace Minerals purchased on Amazon. It adds back in all or most of the necessary minerals that are stripped.
Check my comment below for other serious issues with RO water. It really is not a healthy water to use even if you put minerals back in.
Yes, it removes most of it.
I have to agree with Joan, I have been brewing my Kombucha with RO water for over a year now and have very strong babies develop. My Kombucha is very bubbly and active, haven’t had any problems at all. And I started my own mother to begin with using a bottle of KT from the store!
#Fluoride BAD. http://t.co/twH0eMx3
I love my dentist and there are a growing number of excellent ones out there, but generally speaking – dentists are some of the most narrow minded of all healthcare providers in my experience.