The debate over fluoridation of water got some new life last week when the federal government issued new guidelines for the use of fluoride in public water systems.
Maine officials followed up a few days later with the announcement that the state would call for a reduction in the fluoride added to municipal water systems to prevent tooth decay.
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Fluoride has been controversial since its introduction into water systems in the 1940s. Generations of grass-roots activists have said it causes everything from cancer to communism.
It’s important to note, however, what the authorities from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said, and what they didn’t say.
The problem identified with fluoride is that people are getting too much of it, with fluoride now in toothpaste and mouth wash as well as soft drinks and some bottled water.
As a result, a surprising amount of people are showing discoloration of their teeth, and in extreme cases teeth can be pitted by the mineral. A study by the federal Environmental Protection Agency indicates that prolonged high intake of fluoride could lead to brittle bones.
What the agency did not say is that fluoride shouldn’t be in public water or that it can’t be used in lower doses to dramatically improve dental health.
Fluoridated water remains one of the public health success stories of the 20th century. It has been shown to dramatically reduce cavities by more than 60 years of experience.
Its use is endorsed by major organizations of dentists and pediatricians, and by the same state and federal organizations that are now ordering reduced levels of fluoride allowed in public water supplies.
It’s true that you can have too much of a good thing. But that doesn’t mean it’s not a good thing if you don’t have too much. It would be a big mistake to use these announcements as an excuse to remove fluoride entirely.
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