Thursday, September 06, 2007
ADA Distributing Misleading Information on Two ADA Distributing Misleading Information on Two Federal Fluoride Reports
NEW YORK -- The Fluoride Action Network (FAN) charges the American Dental Association (ADA) with
circulating false and misleading information in its newsletter (8/15) that expressed concern over professional "opposition to community water
fluoridation."(1)
ADA misrepresented important findings in the 2006 National Research Council (NRC)(2) report and trivialized the significance of the dental
fluorosis epidemic afflicting American children (CDC, 2005).
"We don't understand why the ADA won't deal honestly with the science that caused 600 professionals to urge fluoridation be ended,"(3) says Paul Connett, PhD, FAN Director.
The ADA says the NRC report is not relevant to water fluoridation, but, according to its website, made this statement before it had reviewed the
report. In March, 2006 it wrote: "Additional information will appear on ADA.org after the report has been reviewed"(4) but no further information
has appeared.
Connett says, "The ADA assessment is totally superficial, in contrast to statements from three NRC panel members who wrote important chapters in
the report."
Kathleen Thiessen, PhD says, "I have become increasingly convinced that deliberate exposure of a large fraction of the U.S. population ... to
uncontrolled and unmonitored intake of fluoride in their drinking water is unwise at best, and probably harmful to a substantial number of people."(5)
Hardy Limeback, PhD, DDS, writes, " ... it is obvious that the benefit of fluoridation is next to nil. ... I am even more convinced that fluoride
should be banned as a systemic drug (which includes water fluoridation)..."(6)
Robert L. Isaacson, PhD adds, "The health of the entire country is at risk as long as fluoridation of the drinking water remains uncurbed."(6)
The ADA claims that dental fluorosis, which now impacts 32% of American children, is "so slight that only trained professionals can notice it."
However, very mild fluorosis affects up to 25% of tooth surfaces and mild up to 50%(7). The CDC reports that 4% of children have moderate or severe
fluorosis(8), in which all tooth surfaces are affected, frequently with brown staining and sometimes pitting.
"These categories are easy to identify and can result in psychological harm," says Connett. "We urge citizens to sign the ONLINE MESSAGE calling
for an end to fluoridation and Congressional hearings at:
http://www.FluorideAction.net."
References:
(1)
http://www.ada.org/prof/resources/pubs/adanews/adanewsarticle.asp?articleid=2625
(2) http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=11571
(3) http://www.fluoridealert.org/statement.august.2007.html
(4) http://www.ada.org/prof/resources/topics/fluoride_report_response.pdf
(5) http://www.fluoridealert.org/thiessen-letter.pdf
(6) http://www.fluorideaction.org/statement.quotes.aug.2007.pdf
(7) http://www.ada.org/public/topics/fluoride/facts/fluoridation_facts.pdf
(8) http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/figures/s403a1t23.gif
SOURCE Fluoride Action Network http://www.FluorideAction.Net
NEW YORK -- The Fluoride Action Network (FAN) charges the American Dental Association (ADA) with
circulating false and misleading information in its newsletter (8/15) that expressed concern over professional "opposition to community water
fluoridation."(1)
ADA misrepresented important findings in the 2006 National Research Council (NRC)(2) report and trivialized the significance of the dental
fluorosis epidemic afflicting American children (CDC, 2005).
"We don't understand why the ADA won't deal honestly with the science that caused 600 professionals to urge fluoridation be ended,"(3) says Paul Connett, PhD, FAN Director.
The ADA says the NRC report is not relevant to water fluoridation, but, according to its website, made this statement before it had reviewed the
report. In March, 2006 it wrote: "Additional information will appear on ADA.org after the report has been reviewed"(4) but no further information
has appeared.
Connett says, "The ADA assessment is totally superficial, in contrast to statements from three NRC panel members who wrote important chapters in
the report."
Kathleen Thiessen, PhD says, "I have become increasingly convinced that deliberate exposure of a large fraction of the U.S. population ... to
uncontrolled and unmonitored intake of fluoride in their drinking water is unwise at best, and probably harmful to a substantial number of people."(5)
Hardy Limeback, PhD, DDS, writes, " ... it is obvious that the benefit of fluoridation is next to nil. ... I am even more convinced that fluoride
should be banned as a systemic drug (which includes water fluoridation)..."(6)
Robert L. Isaacson, PhD adds, "The health of the entire country is at risk as long as fluoridation of the drinking water remains uncurbed."(6)
The ADA claims that dental fluorosis, which now impacts 32% of American children, is "so slight that only trained professionals can notice it."
However, very mild fluorosis affects up to 25% of tooth surfaces and mild up to 50%(7). The CDC reports that 4% of children have moderate or severe
fluorosis(8), in which all tooth surfaces are affected, frequently with brown staining and sometimes pitting.
"These categories are easy to identify and can result in psychological harm," says Connett. "We urge citizens to sign the ONLINE MESSAGE calling
for an end to fluoridation and Congressional hearings at:
http://www.FluorideAction.net."
References:
(1)
http://www.ada.org/prof/resources/pubs/adanews/adanewsarticle.asp?articleid=2625
(2) http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=11571
(3) http://www.fluoridealert.org/statement.august.2007.html
(4) http://www.ada.org/prof/resources/topics/fluoride_report_response.pdf
(5) http://www.fluoridealert.org/thiessen-letter.pdf
(6) http://www.fluorideaction.org/statement.quotes.aug.2007.pdf
(7) http://www.ada.org/public/topics/fluoride/facts/fluoridation_facts.pdf
(8) http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/figures/s403a1t23.gif
SOURCE Fluoride Action Network http://www.FluorideAction.Net
