MANILA, Philippines - Tooth decay? Gum problems? Bad breath? Well, we don’t have to worry about all that since we’ve been taught by our parents that brushing our teeth at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste can keep our teeth strong, our gums healthy, and our breaths fresher than a sprig of mint. But what if brushing our teeth can actually do more harm to us than good? What if you were told that brushing your teeth can lead to something as life-threatening as cancer? Before you dismiss this as simple hogwash, read on to learn more about how such a mundane, everyday habit can cause such a complicated disease.
There are three things we use when we brush our teeth: a toothbrush, water, and toothpaste. One of these things contains a substance so deadly that the item’s packaging warns us of its toxicity. Check the box your toothpaste comes in and read the fine print on it: There’s a huge chance there’s a warning that says “Keep out of the reach of children under six years of age. If you accidentally swallow more than used for brushing, seek professional help or contact a poison control center immediately.” This warning may sound harsh, but it is carried in the boxes of most imported toothpaste brands available in the Philippines. Localized toothpaste boxes may still carry these words of caution, albeit in a milder tone, resulting in consumers taking this serious warning very lightly.
There is good reason, though, to heed this warning seriously. According to the 1984 issue of Clinical Toxicology of Commercial Products, fluoride, believe it or not, is a substance that has been tested to be even more poisonous than lead. In addition, a case control study performed by scientists from Harvard University in 2006 observed that males under 20 years of age who ingested large amounts of fluoride increased their risk of developing osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer.
About 400 children and adolescents are diagnosed with osteosarcoma in the United States each year and different studies, such as the paper on “Age-specific Fluoride Exposure in Drinking Water and Osteosarcoma” (US, 2006), show that there is a strong relation between excessive exposure to fluoride in both water and toothpaste and this type of bone cancer. In addition, research published in Biological Trace Element Research (April 2009) shows that there are higher levels of fluoride in the blood of patients with osteosarcoma than in people without the disease.
According to the US National Toxicology Program, a “biological plausibility” links fluoride exposure and osteosarcoma. This link centers on two main facts:
1) Bones are the main parts of the body where fluoride can accumulate, especially during growth spurts.
2) Fluoride, in ample amounts, can be a mutagen; it can artificially stimulate more bone cells to grow and these, in turn, can become tumors or growths. Once these tumors or growths become malignant, they can spread to other vital parts of the body.
This is scary, indeed, since according to reports from the American Dental Association in 2000, 360 million people around the world (including the Philippines) receive fluoridated water and this substance is also a main component of toothpaste. Even if you tell your kids to be careful when brushing their teeth, there is no guarantee that they might not be swallowing little amounts of toothpaste each time they do.
These are frightening and alarming facts, but they are facts that we have to face if we want a healthy future for our family. Bone cancer seems like too much of a price to pay for the fresher breath and the stronger teeth we can get from toothpaste containing fluoride. So choose, instead, toothpaste with natural, healthy alternatives like xylitol (an ingredient that can help prevent tooth decay by maintaining the natural pH balance in the mouth). Dentiste’, a herbapeutic nighttime toothpaste, for instance, contains this ingredient plus other natural herbal extracts that are scientifically proven in keeping your teeth, gums (and health!) strong and safe.
For more information about the dangers and toxicity of fluoride, visit http://www.fluoridealert.org or http://www.NaturalNews.com/027693_fluoride_cancer.html.