Ballina Flouride Vote Has Experts Worried

[icyfroth]

Ballina will vote on Thursday on whether to reject fluoridation of its water supply. If it does, it will join nearby Lismore Council and 17 Queensland councils that have voted no to fluoride this year.

Children living in parts of northern NSW without fluoridation already have the worst teeth in the state. They have nearly double the number of decayed, missing and filled teeth compared with other children, according to the most recent dental health survey.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/ballina-flouride-vote-has-experts-worried-20130821-2safg.html#ixzz2cfdzree...

Some anti-fluoride activists, such as Merilyn Haines, the president of Queenslanders for Safe Water Air and Food, argue that fluoride is a poison that is used as an insectide to kill roaches and ants.

But Ballina Council member Keith Williams, who proposed the motion, said he saw it as a human rights issue.

“I don't dispute the scientific evidence of dentistry that it prevents cavities, but I don't believe it is appropriate to add a medication to the water supply without everybody's consent.”

He does have a point there. There's something sinister about a government putting poison in your drinking water and telling the public it's for their own good.

 Still, I've been drinking flourodised water here in Sydney for years and it hasn't done me any harm, and I still have my own teeth, albeit with lots of fillings, lol.

Surely the rise in tooth decay in children in the last few decades can't be solely due to unflourodised bottled water!?

Are we taking into account that children are drinking more soft drinks and juices and less water than ever before? 

Should councils flourodise drinking water?

[cherry*135]

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@izabsmiling wrote:

TS, If I wanted to believe that it wasn't safe  I wouldn't look at the facts .If I want to believe that everything is dangerous and the Government and international scientists and Medical Professionals are out to poison me ....I would be very afraid to do anything much at all

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Very well said.. afraid to eat or drink anything as well.

[siggie-reported-by-alarmists]

Irrational fears and paranoia .... what a horrible way to live.

[icyfroth]

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@am*3 wrote:

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@izabsmiling wrote:

TS, If I wanted to believe that it wasn't safe  I wouldn't look at the facts .If I want to believe that everything is dangerous and the Government and international scientists and Medical Professionals are out to poison me ....I would be very afraid to do anything much at all

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Very well said.. afraid to eat or drink anything as well.

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You can be afraid or you can speak up and do something about it.

Which is what the "17 councils, including Mt Isa and Rockhampton, have voted to either stop adding fluoride or have stopped moves to build fluoridation plants." have done.

[cherry*135]

Only 17 councils in the whole of Australia and all in QLD? Some of the areas mentioned (in NSW anyway) have a population of alternate lifestlyers.

[icyfroth]

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@am*3 wrote:

Only 17 councils in the whole of Australia and all in QLD? Some of the areas mentioned (in NSW anyway) have a population of alternate lifestlyers.

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So...alternative lifestylers don't count?

[i-need-a-martini]

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icyfroth wrote:

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I know it's a lot to read, martini,  I think that's what some organistions depend on when it comes to informing the public. It all becomes too hard and the average person has a life to get on with.

Everybody had a history of bad dental hygiene until about the 1960s-70s, I think, Aussies too.

From what I've read, and I'll research a bit more about that simply because my interest is piqued about the fluoride question now, is that Germany for instance had flouride in their drinking water, and that it was discontinued.

But you're just proving my point in your last statement, "Suffice to say, their dental improvements have nothing to do with fluoride in the water (or not) - simply that they suddenly started brushing their teeth!

If people's dental health improved by starting to brush their teeth, and with the added benefit of fluoride in their toothpaste, why put flouride in the water?

Be back later.

____

I didn't not respond because it was all too hard, I was rushing to catch a plane so only had time to respond to one section of your post. I know that's not what you meant but thought I'd say that anyway.

And again I am about to jump in a cab but thought I'd quickly respond to your response. Apologies in advance for spelling errors.

Firstly Australia had quite good dental hygiene by the 60's and 70's. We've had fluroide in the water since the 40's so improvements here started to show up in stats in the 50's. The only state that has shown a decline has been Qld because they haven't quite got the hang of fluoridisation.

In regards to the Germans (and Europeans in general), you are underestimating just how poor their dental hygiene was pre the 70's. The improvement was dramatic when toothpaste was introduced but it was still not enough.

And the reason many Eurpean countries stopped fluoridisation in the water is not because they didn't need it, but because Eurpoeans generally (particularly in the colder climates) consume less water than we do (or the amercans do). Hence quite a few Eurpopean countries introduced fluoride to every day foods that WOULD be consumed as part of their diet. For example, in Germany salt is fluorinated.

[siggie-reported-by-alarmists]

Fluroidation of Australian water is increasing....not decreasing.

Keep in mind also that some areas enjoy naturally occuring fluoride in their water.. 

"Public water supplies south of Elliott have naturally occurring fluoride at levels in
the water that assist to prevent dental decay, so this region does not need fluoride
added to the water. Darwin, Katherine and Gove currently have fluoridation plants.
The Department of Health in partnership with Power and Water Corporation
(PWC) are planning to extend fluoridated water supplies to the growth towns of
the Top End of the Northern Territory over the coming years. Remote communities
have identified water fluoridation as a priority in their Local Implementation Plans
(LIPS), a fantastic advancement as the importance for this public health initiative
has been identified at the local community level.".

Fluoride around the world

What other countries fluoridate drinking water?

More than 400 million people around the world benefit from water fluoridation
programs – at least 350 million as part of community water fluoridation and at
least 50 million as part of naturally fluoridated water.

Countries with widespread water fluoridation schemes include New Zealand, the United States of America. Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, Israel, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Columbia, Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore and Malaysia.

Has water fluoridation been banned in Europe?

Europe has not banned water fluoridation.

There has been no directive or 16 legislation banning water fluoridation.

 In some European countries, water fluoridation is not practical because they have very complex water systems without a single central point to add fluoride.

Some fluoride plants in Eastern and Central Europe were not given adequate attention during the political turmoil in the late 1980s, and closed through neglect.

Sometimes fluoride is added to salt which is then used in numerous products such
as bread and milk, to ensure that the community can still benefit.

Some European countries have ceased water fluoridation against Health
Department advice.

Anti-fluoride scaremongers are putting the health of Australian children at risk by perpetuating ignorant, irrational, paranoid  lies about fluoride in Australian Water.....

If you really  cared about the health of Australian children........you would want them to have access to fluoride in their water!!

[ashjoma]

I am against fluoride being put in the drinking water.

research Dr Stan Monteith - put a link up previously.

he says Fluoride is associated with poorer dental health, bone problems and boys in fluoridated areas have a higher incidence of
osteosarcoma.

also, fluoride that is added is a industry byproduct and made up of many chemicals.

one of the problems is that fluoride is ingested. if it is in the toothpaste and then spat out, that is not as bad.


I get my drinking water where I can from 50 km away. Jenolan Caves.
The water from the caves there is filtered and UV sterilised.

i take out bottles (glass where possible) and fill them.
Beautiful tasting water.

My kids do not have any fillings.