Forget Fluoride

Hello everyone! It's been about 3 weeks since my last post. Over the last two weeks we were enjoying sunny, warm weather in San Antonio, TX and I couldn't bring myself to stay indoors long enough to write. This idea for a post, truth be told, has sat in "Draft" status for some time. But the topic of oral fluoride and its uses in water, toothpaste and other products was too important not to at least write the title and hit "save." And now back in WA, I can certainly find some cozy indoor time to finish it. So here goes...

I want to start by acknowledging and recommending to you all my favorite toothpaste. No, it's not Tom's (some contain questionable ingredients). It's by Jason, a great non-toxic brand of personal care products, including--and in my opinion, most notably--toothpastes and mouthwashes. My favorite of their toothpastes is Powersmile Whitening Toothpaste in Powerful Peppermint, which contains no harsh chemicals or abrasives and still leaves my mouth feeling fresh and my teeth white. I love the flavor, and I love the effects. This toothpaste does the job that any of your ordinary brands does, but it doesn't contain sodium lauryl sulfate (a harsh, chemical detergent), propylene glycol (basically antifreeze) or fluoride (a toxic waste). You may already know that the first two ingredients are questionable and the first is particularly under fire lately, but did you know that fluoride is considered by the EPA to be a "toxic waste"? But wait...fluoride? YES.


Fluoride is a household name, and as such it sounds harmless. It's far from it. You can find plenty of informative sites and written material on the subject, and I would encourage you to do so. But here are bits and pieces of what I know: the "F" element on the periodic table is not what oral fluoride is. Fluorine, or the "F" element, is only found in a gaseous form. "Fluoride" on the other hand is a manufacturing byproduct comprised of two substances, both of which the EPA has called "highly toxic," and which are classified, labeled and treated as "toxic waste." And yet it's put into our bodies? Yes, in more ways than one. In toothpastes, in drinking water, and now sadly it's added to infant formula and promoted as beneficial! Even when the American Dental Association does not recommend fluoride for children under 6. One way that America consumes fluoride is in fluoridated tap water. Many of us may think it's commonplace, but in actuality "fluoridation," the act of adding fluoride to a city's water supply, is banned in countries all over the world and has been rejected by several U.S. cities since the 90s. Almost all of Europe's drinking water is fluoride-free. But like any other multi-billion dollar industry, fluoride has staying power. Particularly here.

I don't use toothpaste with fluoride (which is why I choose Jason's!), and refuse it at teeth cleanings and have for years (thanks mom). I have read and seen enough to know over the years what I am dealing with. And from third-party sources who do not stand to gain from "positive findings." Here is one informative piece from Fluoride Alert.Org. And be sure to check out Democracy Now, which highlights journalist Christopher Bryson (an award-winning reporter for the Discovery Channel and BBC producer) and his new book, The Fluoride Deception. And here is a 13-minute, mini-documentary by the same name, The Fluoride Deception, which exposes the truth about what fluoride really is. PLEASE take just 13 minutes to watch this.

Although some still claim that it prevents cavities, compelling and overwhelming new evidence shows that fluoride may actually cause tooth decay. Not to mention the horrid effects on the whole body, considering it's a "toxic waste." Thank goodness in my home we have water from our own well that contains NO fluoride, but for those of you using your city's water, I would recommend getting a high quality water filter or whole filtration system on your house to eliminate this and the many other toxins and dissolved pharmaceuticals found in tap water. You can find out about types of filtration systems online, but we always had a reverse osmosis system at our houses growing up. And Aaron and I have a Berkey now to filter excess iron.

Now to come full circle on this post: get yourself to your local co-op or health food store and buy some Jason's! Or maybe you have another favorite brand that doesn't contain fluoride. If so, please share! Until next time...enjoy a healthy, toxin-free clean and spread the word.