Is Water Fluoridation an Environmental Racism issue?

Most Likely, Yes. Here’s why…

• REASON #1: Urban drinking water systems are more likely to be fluoridated than suburban and rural water systems, affecting blacks and Hispanics more than whites. (more…)
• REASON #2: Commonly used fluoridation chemicals cause increased absorption of lead, and this lead-absorbing effect is more pronounced in black & Hispanic populations (which are already over-exposed to lead). This increased lead exposure is connected to increases in learning disorders, violent behavior and affinity for cocaine addiction. (more…)
• REASON #3: Studies have found that in fluoridated communities, African-American children are at greater risk for dental fluorosis (discolored teeth from damaged tooth enamel caused by fluoride exposure). (more…)
• REASON #4: A blue ribbon panel of scientists has identified kidney patients and diabetics as being especially susceptible to harm from ingested fluorides. Blacks suffer disproportionate amounts of kidney disease and diabetes in America. (more…)
• REASON #5: The American Dental Association and the CDC are now recommending that parents of newborns avoid using fluoridated water when mixing infant milk formula for their babies — but they offer no outreach to tell parents this information, and no funds to pay for minority and other low-income families to purchase other sources of water. (more…)
• REASON #6: A potential link between water fluoridation and preterm births has been shown to be most prominent among the poor and people of color. (more…)

Background information

REASON #1: Urban drinking water systems are more likely to be fluoridated than suburban and rural water systems, affecting blacks and Hispanics more than whites.

REASON #2: Commonly used fluoridation chemicals cause increased absorption of lead, and this lead-absorbing effect is more pronounced in black & Hispanic populations (which are already over-exposed to lead). This increased lead exposure is connected to increases in learning disorders, violent behavior and affinity for cocaine addiction.

• Silicofluorides & Higher Blood Lead: Statement from Dr. Roger Masters
• Adverse Health and Behavior from Silicoflourides site on Toxins, Brain Chemistry, and Behavior
• Chemical in Fluoridated Water May Cause Violent Behavior and Cocaine Use, Scholar Says (Chronicle of Higher Education, 9/8/1998)

REASON #3: Studies have found that in fluoridated communities, African-American children are at greater risk for dental fluorosis (discolored teeth from damaged tooth enamel caused by fluoride exposure).

• Pictures of Dental Fluorosis
• Dental Fluorosis
• African-Americans more Affected by Fluorosis
• Blacks Disproportionately Harmed by Fluorides and Fluoridated Water (Oct 2007)
• Surveillance for Dental Caries, Dental Sealants, Tooth Retention, Edentulism, and Enamel Fluorosis – United States, 1988-1994 and 1999-2002 (CDC Report showing that blacks and Mexican-Americans are far more affected by fluorosis than whites — see chart at very bottom of report)
• Differences in exposure and biological markers of fluoride among White and African American children. — In this 2010 study published in the Journal of Public Health Dentistry, Indiana University School of Dentistry researchers found that dental fluorosis was observed in 62.5% of white and 80.1% of African American children even when fluoride concentration of water and saliva were the same in both groups. They also found that fluoride concentration in the urine of the African American children was 30% higher than their white counterparts.
• Summary of Pennsylvania Oral Health Needs Assessment — This study, done for the PA Department of Health is not online in full. This report summary used to be on the PA Department of Health’s website, but was removed, perhaps because we’ve pointed legislators to it, showing that the Department of Health’s own data undermined their promotion of water fluoridation. The summary was also archived by archive.org on 6/30/2006.The report shows that, by far, Pittsburgh has the highest percentage of 15-year-olds with cavities — over 70% (the statewide average is just under 50%). Pittsburgh has been fluoridated since the 1950s. Philadelphia (also fluoridated since the 1950s) also has tooth decay rates above the state average. Outside of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, most of the rest of the state is not fluoridated. The study also shows that Philadelphia and Pittsburgh have the state’s highest rates of dental fluorosis (fluoride-induced discoloration of tooth enamel). See Table 2R on p2 and Table 13R on p6. Most of the people of color in Pennsylvania are concentrated in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh — the state’s two largest cities.The high tooth decay rate in Pittsburgh was reported in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: “Sink your teeth into health care” (2/13/2005)

REASON #4: A blue ribbon panel of scientists has identified kidney patients and diabetics as being especially susceptible to harm from ingested fluorides. Blacks suffer disproportionate amounts of kidney disease and diabetes in America.

REASON #5: The American Dental Association and the CDC are now recommending that parents of newborns avoid using fluoridated water when mixing infant milk formula for their babies — but they offer no outreach to tell parents this information, and no funds to pay for minority and other low-income families to purchase other sources of water.

REASON #6: A potential link between water fluoridation and preterm births has been shown to be most prominent among the poor and people of color.

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Last modified: 27 June 2010

http://actionpa.org/fluoride/ej.html