As a new parent I of course want to do everything right. My child was 5 weeks early and never got the hang of nursing. For four months I happily pumped breast milk and bottle-fed her until my health started to decline due to a chronic illness. To control it I had to go on medication that's taboo for breastfeeding. I practically cried the day I had to buy formula. I researched and researched and settled on powdered Similac Organic. I've always read that if you do one thing organic it should be dairy so your baby won't ingest growth hormones that the cows might have been fed. Similac is also the only manufacturer that offers a plastic container that's not lined with BPA. Believe it or not cardboard formula containers are lined with BPA. Nuts. But issues with that chemical are not what I want to focus on today.For two months I fed my child formula mixed with water from our Brita filter. Then one day we were having lunch with a chemist friend who researches fluoride and its effects on human populations. My husband actually used to help this guy back in college and it suddenly dawned on us as we were mixing Lizzie's formula that we were giving her fluoride! A Brita filter does not remove it. Our chemist friend suggested we buy Poland Springs water, since it's been shown to be fluoride free.
Now wait a minute. Doesn't the government PUT fluoride in our water supply? Yes. Isn't it supposed to be good for our teeth? SUPPOSED to be, yes. Is it? That's up for debate.
New studies by the National Research Council actually show that fluoride does more harm than good, especially for babies whose brain are still growing and developing. The American Dental Association has actually reneged on
earlier recommendations about fluoride and now says not to use it in babies. Their reasoning is that it causes fluorosis, which are just white streaks on teeth. But, there's major evidence that fluoride is actually a neurotoxin as shown in a new study published in the Lancet; the NRC warns it can also have major adverse effects on the thyroid gland; and a Harvard study shows it causes cancer." "EPA has more than enough evidence to shut down fluoridation, right now, with a special advisory," says retired EPA scientist, Robert Carton, PhD. "The safe drinking water act requires the EPA to act to protect all populations from known or anticipated harm(8)," says Carton. " This quote speaks for itself....
Many countries, like New Zealand, have already removed it from the water supply. Why hasn't communities in the United States? We've somehow been led to believe that fluoride is necessary for dental health. But is it worth the risks? I say no.
Our family is left right now with three options for safe water: go to a neighboring town that doesn't fluoridate and "steal" water for Lizzie, plumb in the reverse osmosis filtration system we just purchased (but I can't find anyone to tell us whether or not it actually removes fluoride) or continue to make a pile of empty plastic 2.5 gallon Poland Springs jugs. I hate the plastic waste, but my child's sensitive developing brain is more important to me right now.
What can you do? check out this website: http://www.fluoridealert.org/
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