To the Editor:
After the Oak Bluffs Board of Health public meeting last fall, I realized of course, there are two groups of people. One group feels that there are many benefits to getting the town water fluoridated, and feels that it reduces caries. Then there is the other group of people, who feel that this fluoride that the other group of people feels is beneficial is really a toxic hazardous waste called sodium hexafluorosilicic acid, distributed by phosphate fertilizer and aluminum plants. These products, which America buys from China and Japan, where ironically fluoridating the water is illegal, actually have a skull and crossbones on the bag. The specific bag that the town of Oak Bluffs is putting in the water is from Shanghai Mintchem Development Co., LTD, in China. It says right on the bag, “may be fatal if swallowed.”
The fluoride we are talking about putting in the water is not a naturally occurring mineral like you would find in a river or stream. It’s toxic waste. Why would anyone think this is safe for your body? Are we crazy? Do you just believe what you are told and never question it or do your own research? Don’t get me wrong, I agree that naturally occurring fluoride is good for the surface of your teeth and strengthens the enamel, but why should we be forced to ingest it, cook with it, and water our gardens with it?
The World Health Organization did a study showing the difference in caries between towns that were fluoridated and unfluoridated, and guess what? There was absolutely no difference. This could’ve been for many reasons, with society more aware of preventive measures of better oral hygiene. There’s only 3 percent of the world that fluoridates. Once it’s ingested, our body doesn’t know how to process it. There’s so much to say on the issue of why not to fluoridate, but one of the issues that’s most disturbing to me is how no one is thinking about how we are overfluoridating ourselves.
What about mothers who can’t afford spring water, and need to use tap water for their babies’ formulas five to six times a day? You need a prescription for fluoride pills for your children from the doctor, so isn’t this considered forced medication? Over the years we have learned there were many things that we thought would not be harmful to our bodies, like lead paint, cigarettes, asbestos, and aspartame, along with many others. But then we learned how bad these things were after many case studies.
Implementing the fluoridation program goes back as far as 1939. People need to understand and start to question now, with the ability at our fingertips, the dangers of this toxic waste. I implore all Oak Bluffs residents to learn more about the dangers of sodium hexafluorosilicic acid before the vote on Thursday, at fluoridealert.org.
Mary Ellen Casey
Oak Bluffs