Thought this would be of interest as we have discussed fluoridation before, and other dental practices.
-------- Original Message -------- Canadian cities worried about fluoride shortage Sat 11 Aug 2007 Page: A10 Section: News Byline: Bill Mah and William Lin Dateline: EDMONTON Source: CanWest News Service EDMONTON -- Cities and towns across Canada and the United States are scrambling for supplies of fluoride -- a chemical they add to their water systems to prevent tooth decay. Ottawa has been without the additive for extended periods in recent months because of a global shortage. The shortage has stirred debate over a decades-old practice, with critics flashing big, toothy grins at the prospect of cities stopping fluoridation, something they say does more harm than good to our health. "It's an excellent thing for them to be short of this chemical," said Paul Connett, executive director of the U.S.-based Fluoride Action Network. "If having a shortage of it makes them question the practice, that would be very, very good." Ottawa's fluoride comes from East Tampa, Fla., and its shortage has been attributed to Hurricane Katrina damaging Gulf Coast manufacturing facilities two years ago, a downturn in the phosphate mining industry and the shutdowns of some American suppliers. In the past year, prices have doubled for the dwindling supply of fluoride, a byproduct of phosphate mining, said Dixon Weir, Ottawa's manager of drinking water services. "There have been problems noted with the supply chain. We are aware that there are shortages that have been reported in other communities," Weir said. Edmonton is one of those communities, with a fluoride shortfall looming this fall if an expected shipment falls through. "At this time, we have sufficient fluoride to meet Edmonton's needs until the fall," said Mike Gibbs, spokesman for Epcor, which supplies water to the region. "But it is a situation we're closely monitoring and actually what's happening is there's a shortage in North America of fluoride." U.S. cities as diverse as New Orleans, Portland, Maine, and Greensboro, N.C. have reported shortages or temporarily suspended water fluoridation. Fluoridation has long been promoted by dentists, and by the Canadian Dental Association, as a cost-effective and far-reaching way to prevent tooth decay for the public. According to Health Canada, many studies show fluoridated water greatly reduces the number of cavities in children's teeth. However, the practice has long had its share of detractors. The Fluoride Action Network released a statement this week signed by more than 600 professionals -- including more than 100 dentists -- calling for an end to water fluoridation. They say while using fluoride in toothpaste has proven effective in preventing tooth decay, putting it in the water supply has shown minimal benefits. "It makes as much sense as swallowing sunblock," said Connett. His group says the detrimental effects of fluoride include an increased risk of bone fractures, lowered IQ, decreased thyroid function and a staining of teeth. About 40 per cent of Canadians receive fluoridated water. This spring, the Quebec government was urged to force the City of Montreal to fluoridate its water supply and end what it described as "an epidemic of tooth decay" among the city's preschoolers. Some towns, including Kamloops, B.C., and Cobalt, Ont., have stopped fluoridating their water over the years. Kimberly Carriere, spokeswoman for the Alberta Dental Association, said going without fluoridated water for short periods isn't likely to harm dental health. "For long periods, you'd certainly see an increase in dental (decay) but you do have fluoride in your toothpaste so the impact wouldn't be that large in the short term," Carriere said. Edmonton Journal and Ottawa Citizen -- Darryl McMahon It's your planet. If you won't look after it, who will? The Emperor's New Hydrogen Economy (now in print and eBook) http://www.econogics.com/TENHE/ _______________________________________________ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
