[h=1]MAINSTREAM MEDIA FINALLY CALLS FOR REVIEW OF WATER FLUORIDATION IN SINGAPORE[/h]
Post date:
23 Apr 2015 - 2:44pm
With the growing evidence of health risks related to water fluoridation, it might be time for Singapore to also review its policy on this and the mainstream media has finally caught up on this.
"It is time for the Ministry of Health to review the appropriate and safe level of fluoride in our water supply, and to reconsider if Singapore should continue with its water fluoridation," The Straits Times reported.
It also explained that, "On Aug 26 last year, Israel declared the end of mandatory fluoridation of drinking water, and joined the vast majority of countries in the world in which fluoridation is not mandatory."
In 2010, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said that Singapore started putting fluoride into our water supply in 1954.
MOH said that fluoride has been effective in reducing dental caries. "Fluoride is most effective in preventing dental caries if a low level of fluoride is constantly present in the mouth," it said.
Water fluoridation is also the "most cost effective preventive public health measure" for tooth decay, MOH said.
MOH also quoted the Cochrane Collaboration Oral Health Group, and said that there is no evidence of health risks with water fluoridation.
"The latest WHO guideline prescribes it at 1.5 mg per litre. In Singapore, we have over the years progressively reduced our fluoridation level to its current concentration level of 0.6mg per litre in our tap water. This is well within the WHO’s prescribed safety level," MOH had said.
"Some 40 countries, including the U.S., Australia, New Zealand and Ireland have water fluoridation schemes in place," it also said.
Associate Professor Patrick Tseng, the Chief Dental Officer at MOH, also said in 2012, that, "In fact, fluoride is a natural element that is already present in various forms around us, such as in the air, our food and water, but in insufficient amounts to have any dental benefits."
"Current levels of fluoride in our water system are low, safe and constantly monitored," he also said.
However, the latest evidence is saying otherwise.
For example, a study published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health linked fluoride to higher rates of hypothyroidism.
This can in turn lead to depression and weight gain.
Another research by the Harvard School for Public Health (HSPH) also found that "fluoride may adversely affect cognitive development in children".
“Fluoride seems to fit in with lead, mercury, and other poisons that cause chemical brain drain,” Philippe Grandjean, one of the authors of the study and adjunct professor of environmental health at HSPH said.
“The effect of each toxicant may seem small, but the combined damage on a population scale can be serious, especially because the brain power of the next generation is crucial to all of us.”
A study in The Scientific World Journal also said: "Fluoride has modest benefit in terms of reduction of dental caries but significant costs in relation to cognitive impairment, hypothyroidism, dental and skeletal fluorosis, enzyme and electrolyte derangement, and uterine cancer.
It also explained that "most of the toxic effects of fluoride are due to ingestion" and injesting it "constitutes an unacceptable risk with virtually no proven benefit".
"In addition, ingested water is a very inefficient way of delivering fluoride to teeth given its topical effect but is an important cause of fluoride’s adverse effects on human health.
"Of all sources of fluoride, artificially fluoridated water is the most practical source to eliminate in order to reduce its human hazards at population levels."
The researchers also called for the World Health Organization "to repudiate its assertion that fluoride is an essential nutrient or trace element, or that artificial water fluoridation is a useful public health strategy."
Indeed, it is time to review the water fluoridation policy in Singapore. And with the rising number of research that supports such a case, it is curious as to whether the MOH will still stick to its stand in 2010 and 2012.
On how to do it, the Scientific World Journal research recommends coordinated global efforts to prohibit fluoride into water supplies.
Also, on the need to reduce dental caries, it also said that "efforts to develop safe technologies to address the disease deserve high priority" so as to counter the use of fluoride.
Post date:
23 Apr 2015 - 2:44pm
With the growing evidence of health risks related to water fluoridation, it might be time for Singapore to also review its policy on this and the mainstream media has finally caught up on this.
"It is time for the Ministry of Health to review the appropriate and safe level of fluoride in our water supply, and to reconsider if Singapore should continue with its water fluoridation," The Straits Times reported.
It also explained that, "On Aug 26 last year, Israel declared the end of mandatory fluoridation of drinking water, and joined the vast majority of countries in the world in which fluoridation is not mandatory."
In 2010, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said that Singapore started putting fluoride into our water supply in 1954.
MOH said that fluoride has been effective in reducing dental caries. "Fluoride is most effective in preventing dental caries if a low level of fluoride is constantly present in the mouth," it said.
Water fluoridation is also the "most cost effective preventive public health measure" for tooth decay, MOH said.
MOH also quoted the Cochrane Collaboration Oral Health Group, and said that there is no evidence of health risks with water fluoridation.
"The latest WHO guideline prescribes it at 1.5 mg per litre. In Singapore, we have over the years progressively reduced our fluoridation level to its current concentration level of 0.6mg per litre in our tap water. This is well within the WHO’s prescribed safety level," MOH had said.
"Some 40 countries, including the U.S., Australia, New Zealand and Ireland have water fluoridation schemes in place," it also said.
Associate Professor Patrick Tseng, the Chief Dental Officer at MOH, also said in 2012, that, "In fact, fluoride is a natural element that is already present in various forms around us, such as in the air, our food and water, but in insufficient amounts to have any dental benefits."
"Current levels of fluoride in our water system are low, safe and constantly monitored," he also said.
However, the latest evidence is saying otherwise.
For example, a study published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health linked fluoride to higher rates of hypothyroidism.
This can in turn lead to depression and weight gain.
Another research by the Harvard School for Public Health (HSPH) also found that "fluoride may adversely affect cognitive development in children".
“Fluoride seems to fit in with lead, mercury, and other poisons that cause chemical brain drain,” Philippe Grandjean, one of the authors of the study and adjunct professor of environmental health at HSPH said.
“The effect of each toxicant may seem small, but the combined damage on a population scale can be serious, especially because the brain power of the next generation is crucial to all of us.”
A study in The Scientific World Journal also said: "Fluoride has modest benefit in terms of reduction of dental caries but significant costs in relation to cognitive impairment, hypothyroidism, dental and skeletal fluorosis, enzyme and electrolyte derangement, and uterine cancer.
It also explained that "most of the toxic effects of fluoride are due to ingestion" and injesting it "constitutes an unacceptable risk with virtually no proven benefit".
"In addition, ingested water is a very inefficient way of delivering fluoride to teeth given its topical effect but is an important cause of fluoride’s adverse effects on human health.
"Of all sources of fluoride, artificially fluoridated water is the most practical source to eliminate in order to reduce its human hazards at population levels."
The researchers also called for the World Health Organization "to repudiate its assertion that fluoride is an essential nutrient or trace element, or that artificial water fluoridation is a useful public health strategy."
Indeed, it is time to review the water fluoridation policy in Singapore. And with the rising number of research that supports such a case, it is curious as to whether the MOH will still stick to its stand in 2010 and 2012.
On how to do it, the Scientific World Journal research recommends coordinated global efforts to prohibit fluoride into water supplies.
Also, on the need to reduce dental caries, it also said that "efforts to develop safe technologies to address the disease deserve high priority" so as to counter the use of fluoride.
