Fluoride: The Hard to Swallow Truth Documentary
Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2012 5:27 am4:25 is when the information starts.
4:10 - ~4 minutes of "on the street" reactions; as you say, no information here.
4:50 - Fluoride is not an element. It's an ion. It can only be found bonded to something else, except when dissociated in liquid. Fluorine is an element, but it's not one you want to encounter in pure form if you can help it.
5:00 - Some of the fluoride used may be a byproduct of industrial processes, sure. Not necessarily meaningful. The substance's effects do not depend on its origin, only its chemical properties. Also note the manipulation involved in the images of smokestacks, juxtaposition with smiling children, etc.
5:15 - This origin for the use of fluoride is false, as far as I can tell. The NIDCR has what looks like a more accurate origin story. Note that fluoride was found to prevent decay at high concentrations, then found to still provide this at the safe concentrations we're given today.
5:30 - Remember basic chemistry - fluoride is an ion, and is always bonded with something else until it dissociates in water. Case in point, sodium fluoride - in water, it's sodium and fluoride ions. No more dangerous than salt (sodium chloride), which does exactly the same thing. Basically they're throwing chemistry at you as a scare tactic.
6:00 - "Certainly, there has been more litigation on alleged damage to agriculture by fluoride than all other pollutants combined." - Leonard Weinstein, 1983. Anyone have a source for this? Anyway, see below.
6:15 - Airborne fluorides being problematic for crops at the concentration released by factories - sure. This doesn't mean they're also problematic for humans when dissolved in water at the concentration in tap water. Remember that anything is harmless in small enough quantities and poisonous in large enough quantities.
7:40 - I believe we can all agree that the CDC is a more reliable source than this video.
8:00 - Quote with no supporting evidence or credentials, manipulatively worded. Discarding.
8:20 - Found the original article here. It's just taking the knowledge that "excessive amounts of fluoride can have cosmetic effects on babies' teeth" and exaggerating it.
8:45 - Notice that the second graph includes only first-world countries, who still interact with fluoride through other sources (such as table salt, or especially toothpaste). I would expect toothpaste to dwarf other forms in terms of effectiveness, though I have no specific data.
9:15 - What they're saying and what's written are completely different.
10:40 - For reference - Gerard Judd - http://www.fixyourteeth.org/. He doesn't seem to be selling anything on the site, at least, though I question the wisdom of advice like "avoid experts" and "avoid substances demonstrated to prevent tooth decay".
11:15 - Source for the quote is here. I can't find the actual data he's citing anywhere. Is that total cavities recorded over a period of time? How many Ugandan children were studied, and in what level of detail? It's also worrisome that Dr. Judd misunderstands his own quoted statistics in saying that 0% vs. 70% incidence is "three times better".
13:00 - We've established that it's not poisonous at the levels in drinking water. As far as I can tell, studies indicate that fluoride applied to teeth does prevent decay. It can cause minor cosmetic damage to babies' teeth, so we should certainly take care there.
14:00 - Now we're into the Nazis, unfounded conspiracy theories, and such, eh? Are there any valid arguments presented in the second half, or am I safe to skip it?
If you're looking for an overall opinion, here it is. I am opposed to the spreading of this video or its ideas because to the best of my knowledge, use of fluoride overall prevents harm and pain. By advocating non-use of fluoride in safe quantities for people of appropriate age, you are advocating unnecessary harm. This is no different than advocating for bacteria-filled "organic" milk, or against life-saving vaccines. It's also hardly different than walking into the street and punching a child in the jaw.
Also, a general note. It's not always adding fluoride to the water. It's about ensuring a certain quantity is present. In some places, the fluoride content is naturally higher than the recommended concentration, and some is removed.
