International Fluoride Information Network
The Fourth Monkey

Dear All,

Below we have reprinted two e-mails we have received from the New York State Coalition Opposed to Fluoridation (NYSCOF, <NYSCOF@aol.com>).

The first is a NYSCOF news release distributed by PRNewswire on August 27, 2002. This describes a report by Indian researchers who describe the ill-effects caused by exposure to naturally occurring fluoride and how they could reverse some of those ill-effects by first removing their patients from exposure to the source of fluoride and then treatment with diets adequate in calcium, vitamins C and E and other antioxidants.

The second is the response NYSCOF got from the "dentist-public-health listserve" when they tried to circulate this report to its members.

Most people are familiar with the "three monkeys: see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil". To this we must add the fourth monkey, "circulate no evil"!

Who is going to rescue the dental community from the dangerous practice of fluoridation, if listserves such as this refuse to inform their members of the ill effects documented in the published literature?

Paul Connett
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1) NYSCOF PRESS RELEASE AUGUST 27, 2002.

CAUTION: Fluoride Can Be Hazardous To Your Health, Researchers Report

NEW YORK, Aug. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Research from India shows that fluoride can make people sick; but improved diet and complete fluoride withdrawal can relieve symptoms, according to the May-June, 2002, issue of "Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry"(a), reports the New York State Coalition Opposed to Fluoridation (NYSCOF).

Fluoride's harmful health effects, except to teeth, are rarely studied in the U.S. and, in fact, are often discouraged(b). Also never studied, incredibly, are the most widely-used artificial fluoride chemicals Americans drink daily(c) - silicofluorides, derived from fertilizers, purposely added to water supplies, at about 1 milligram fluoride per quart of water, in an attempt to reduce tooth decay.

In areas of India, where food and water are naturally fluoride-abundant, severe fluoride toxicity is common and manifests as debilitating and disfiguring diseases(d). Well-known is that fluoride excess irreversibly cripples bones and crumbles teeth (fluorosis).

Lesser-known are early fluorosis warning signs, or soft tissue toxicity, whose manifestations and resulting clinical complaints are reversible with a diet adequate in calcium, vitamins C, E, other antioxidants and withdrawal of all fluoride sources (the intervention), report researchers Madhu Bhatnager and Professor (Dr.) A.K. Susheela, the CEO and Director of India's Fluorosis Research and Rural Development Foundation.

Susheela and Bhatnager examined ten patients (6 males, 4 females; ages ranging from 8-60 years) having clinical symptoms suggestive of fluoride poisoning. Blood, urine and drinking water samples were collected. Water samples contained 0.l4, 0.38, 0.90, l.06, 2.00, 1.74, 3.00, 5.80, 26.07 and 29.00 milligrams fluoride per liter (approximately a quart). Some patients with fluorosis consumed safe water but ingested fluoride through food and/or other fluoride sources.

After a year on the intervention, serum and urine fluoride levels dropped significantly with patients' complete relief from joint pain and rigidity, polyuria (frequent urination), polydipsia (constant thirst), muscle weakness, and gastrointestinal complaints, some alleviated after only 10-15 days.

Dr. Susheela researches fluoride extensively
(http://education.vsnl.com/fluorosis/publication.html).
In this study, Susheela and Bhatnager write:

"It is now an established fact that fluoride ingestion over a period of time can affect the structure and function of cells, tissues, organs and systems resulting in a variety of clinical manifestations." (For example:)

1) aches and pain in the joints, i.e. neck, back, hip, shoulder and knee without visible signs of fluid accumulation
2) non-ulcer dyspepsia such as nausea, vomiting, pain in the stomach, bloated feeling or gas formation in the stomach, constipation followed by diarrhea
3) polyurea (frequent urination) and polydipsia (excessive thirst)
4) muscle weakness, fatigue, anemia with low hemoglobin level
5) complaints of repeated abortions/still birth
6) complaints of male infertility with abnormality in sperm morphology, oligospermia (spermatozoa deficiency in the semen), azoospermia (spermatozoa absence in the semen) and low testosterone levels."

Susheela and Bhatnager recommend physicians consider fluoride toxicity for the above-listed patient complaints and/or any loss of shine or discoloration in the patient's front row of teeth, which may be due to dental fluorosis.

"Americans are unaware that their arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome or other symptoms may be fluoride-related", says attorney Paul Beeber, President, NYSCOF. "This information should be heeded by physicians and members of the medical and scientific communities. Dr. Susheela is a world authority on the health effects of fluoride to the human body," says Beeber.

"Pediatricians need to be educated about fluorosis. Perhaps water fluoridation and indiscriminate promotion of fluoridated dental products in the name of prevention of dental caries (cavities) need to be reviewed," writes Susheela and Bhatnager

To arrive at a definitive fluorosis diagnosis, Susheela and Bhatnager:

(1) measure fluoride levels in drinking water, blood (serum), and urine. Twenty-four hour urine is ideal. Samples are collected in plastic, not glass, containers because fluoride reacts with silica in glass resulting in unreliable data.
(2) take radiographs of the region or joint where the patient had complaints such as pain and stiffness
(3) take forearm X-rays to look for interosseous membrane calcification. The forearm X-ray is essential for diagnosis of fluorosis at early stages and to distinguish fluorosis from other orthopedic conditions.

"This is an important message as forearm X-ray is only requested for diagnosing fluorosis. In patients with fluorosis and osteomalacia, increases in bone mass and bone density may not appear, but ligaments would reveal calcification." they write.

"U.S. studies show American children are fluoride saturated, ruining their teeth with dental fluorosis; yet cavity rates are rising," says Beeber. "These children should be studied for fluoride, other adverse health effects and correlated to essential nutrient consumption and cavities."
(a)http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12162452&dopt=Abstract
(b) http://www.fluoridealert.org/mullenix.htm
(c) http://ntp-server.niehs.nih.gov/htdocs/Chem_Background/ExSumPDF/Fluorosilicates.pdf
(d) http://www.fluoridealert.org/fluorosis-india.htm

Contacts:
Paul Beeber, NYSCOF, nyscof@aol.com, P.O. Box 263, Old Bethpage, N.Y. 11804 http://www.orgsites.com/ny/nyscof

Paul Connett, Ph.D., Professor of Chemistry, St. Lawrence University, Canton, NY, ggvideo@northnet.org Fluoride Action Network http://www.fluoridealert.org
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2) NYSCOF e-MAIL dated AUGUST 29, 2002.

We posted our latest news release (fluoride can make you sick) to the dentist-public-health listserv so that when the lawsuits come, and these dentists are put on the stand, they can't say something like the tobacco people claimed to the effect "we have no knowledge of the ill health effects of fluoride."

NYSCOF has been repeatedly dropped from this list. However, whenever NYSCOF thinks they have something to educate these "fluoride experts" with, we re-apply. Apparently they don't know how to permanently exclude people from their list.

Since these are the guys/gals telling our legislators that fluoride is safe for all people, all the time in all ways, and in any new way they can think of to make more money and apply for federal grants, we thought knowing about the ill health effects of fluoride to be very relevent to their discussions.

But, apparently, they don't. Here is their reply:

Subj: Re: Fluoride Can Make People Sick, Researchers Report
Date: 8/29/2002 6:59:38 AM Eastern Daylight Time
From: rjw1@pitt.edu (Robert Weyant)
To: NYSCOF@aol.com

"I have removed you from the DPH listserve and request that you do not attempt to re-subscribe. The intent of the list has always been to facilitate discussion among DPH professionals - not to debate fluoridation issues. My recent vote of listmembers showed overwhelming support for excluding non-DPH professionals from the list, particularly when they continue to disrupt the list's intent with postings such as these."