Editor's note: This is a letter to Dr. Paul Martiquet, medical health officer for Rural Vancouver Coastal Health, including the Sea to Sky Corridor. It was copied to The Chief for publication.
In response to your Dec. 30 column, "Fluoridation helps prevent tooth decay":
Water fluoridation is an important issue. Since my retirement as a health professional, studying factors related to the health benefits of water has been an area of interest.
I totally agree with you with respect to researching this controversial issue, that "the quality and reliability of the information presented must be high." I looked into the report from the Expert Panel assembled by Health Canada in 2007 that you referred to in your column.
Following your advice to "start by considering the source," I found that four of the six Expert Panel members were from the dental profession and long-time advocates of water fluoridation. One panel member's article, published in 1989 in the Journal For Public Health Dentistry, was ironically titled, "A Win for Fluoridation in Squamish, B.C." I have to question - was the panel's advice to Health Canada objective and without bias?
Dentists are, unquestionably, experts in oral health and disease; however, diagnosing disease in the rest of the body is outside their purview and expertise of practice. Unlike applying fluoride topically - toothpaste or fluoride treatments - drinking water as a source exposes the whole body to fluoride.
I would expect that the panel would include a broad base of expertise to address all body systems. I question: Were the impacts of fluoride on the entire body adequately addressed with two-thirds of the panel being dentists?
The effects of chronic, low-dose fluoride exposure on the body have been described by scientists from the National Research Council's landmark review on fluoride, a Nobel laureate in medicine, as well as dentists, medical doctors and leading researchers in the field. In my research I found an overview of their findings outlined in the 2009, 28-minute online video "Professional Perspectives on Water Fluoridation."
Their findings and evidence advises against fluoridated drinking water, noting particular concerns for infants on powdered formula, people with poor kidney function and those with low thyroid function. In view of the evidence, since 2006 the American Dental Association changed its policy recommending that only non-fluoridated water be used in preparing infant formula in the first 12 months of life.
Currently, on Health Canada's website, the Expert Panel on Fluoride has not recommended restrictions to giving fluoridated water to infants.
On cancer, a fluoride-bone cancer association in young males was found in a recent Harvard study. However, Health Canada's Expert Panel advises against drawing conclusions - citing a letter, submitted by a Harvard professor, casting doubt on the reliability of the findings. It has since been disclosed the disputing professor also consults for Colgate - a conflict of interest and potential bias that adds to the uncertainty.
I've learned that despite most of Europe choosing not to fluoridate their water - with the exception of Ireland and 10 per cent of the U.K. and Spain - their rates of dental cavities is reported to be as good as, if not better than, fluoridated areas of Canada and the U.S. Have the Expert Panel and Health Canada missed something?
Controversial? To say the least. What is the truth? Until we know... wouldn't a precautionary stance be wiser?Star MorrisSquamish
