Since 2002, the Kennebunk, Kennebunkport and Wells Water District has been supplying fluoridated water to these towns as well as to Arundel, Ogunquit and parts of Biddeford and York. It is in our community’s best interest to de-fluoridate the water supply, as it poses serious health risks to everyone exposed, such as fetal brain damage, hypothyroidism, reproductive problems and countless others, while having essentially no benefits.
Water fluoridation adds industrial-grade fluoride chemicals (not pharmaceutical-grade) to the water supply. These chemicals largely come from China and are the only chemicals added to water that have nothing to do with its safety or quality. Its only purpose is to prevent tooth decay, even though many studies show it has no significant relationship in strengthening teeth. The largest study conducted in the nation by the National Institute of Dental Research surveyed more than 39,000 children from 84 different communities. The results showed little difference in tooth decay among children in fluoridated and non-fluoridated communities, with an average difference of less than 1 percent of the total tooth surfaces in a child’s mouth.
The precautionary principle states that if an action has even a suspected risk of causing harm to the public, in the absence of scientific proof that the action is safe, the action should not be taken. Fluoridated water has not been proven to be safe ”“ not by a single study. Rather, numerous studies have shown just the opposite. Fluoride is listed among 100 chemicals that have “substantial evidence of developmental neurotoxicity.” And, according to the National Research Council, “it’s apparent that fluorides have the ability to interfere with functions of the brain.”
Infants are at an even greater risk because they are exposed to the highest amount of fluoride by bodyweight. Even the American Dental Association distributed an alert recommending to parents that formula should be made with “no-fluoride water” because of its damaging effects.
Besides its dangerous health risks, the practice of fluoridating the water supply is completely unethical. The Food and Drug Administration classifies fluoride as a drug, so this practice uses the public water supply as a means of delivering medicine, thereby depriving the individual of his or her right to informed consent to medication. The American Medical Association explains that a doctor must inform the patient of the medicine’s benefits and side effects, and then allow the patient the choice to take the drug or not. Furthermore, there is no way to control the dose of fluoride that each person ingests because athletes are likely to drink more water, for example.
Bangor Daily News recently reported that it costs the KKWWD approximately $25,000 a year to fluoridate the water. There is no logical reason that we should pay for a substance that causes health defects that has virtually no benefit.
It may be a little too late to put the question of de-fluoridation on the ballot this November, but the fight for safe drinking water is just getting started. Contact your selectmen and spread the word to win back the water we deserve.
Sophie Gaulkin, Kennebunk
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