At an annual cost of $36 million, Toronto adds Hexafluorosilicic acid (HSFA), a toxic by-product of the phosphate fertilizer industry, to its drinking water -- a process called fluoridation.
However, HFSA is not fluoride but a substance that includes inorganic fluoride, along with arsenic and lead, none of which filtration plants are able to remove.
HSFA is added to water, ostensibly to reduce tooth decay, despite the extensive evidence, most notably from the National Research Council 2006 report on fluoride in drinking water, in addition to the absense of consensus from the scientific community on the efficacy and safety of the practice. Jurisdictions that fluoridate (Toronto) have identical incidence of dental cavities as those who do not (Montreal).
HSFA is a toxin that causes disruptions in plant and animal life, including humans. Too much fluoride causes the disease called fluorosis. Furthermore, the chloramine in city drinking water added to the fluorosilicates causes extensive leaching of lead, damaging pipes.
Fluoride is a potential immunotoxin, embryotoxin and neurotoxinn, which can cause brain damage, especially in children. Toronto apparently cares more about children's teeth then their brains.
Alternatively, the fluoride in toothpaste, a simple sodium fluoride salt, alone, is effective in reducing tooth decay.
Toronto could save $500 million over 10 years (operations and capital equipment, lead pipe damage) if it ended joined other cities in Canada and around the world in ending fluoridation. Most of Western Europe doesn't fluoridate its water, with no difference in dental health to our own.
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While I normally support the fluoridation of water, we've been using toothpastes for years now. It was proven effective in the past but now we know directly applying the fluoride to our teeth (and spitting it out) is by far more effective at halting tooth decay than fluoridation. We should stop adding it to the water because now it's not helping us and perhaps only hurting us.
ReplyDeleteI've been reading your blog, you'll be getting my vote for councilor!