Studies from America, Canada and New Zealand show no difference in the rates of tooth decay between fluoridated and non fluoridated areas (Fluoride, 1990; 23: 55-67). Indeed, some studies indicate that the average rates of tooth decay in children are lower in non or low fluoridated areas (J Can Dent Assoc, 1987; 53: 753-5; Am J Phys Anthropol, 1989; 78: 79-92).
In fluoridated areas, high percentages of the population suffer from dental fluorosis, where teeth are mottled from high deposits of fluoride. In Birmingham, where water has been fluoridated at 1 ppm since 1964, more than a third of children suffer from dental fluorosis (Health & Homoeopathy, Spring, 1998: 24-5).
Effects on the teeth first manifest themselves as pitting and cavities on the surface of the tooth enamel due to demineralisation, at levels of fluoride as low as 0.5 mg/l or 0.5 ppm.
In India, the water supply in many areas contains high levels of natural fluoride. An estimated 62 million people, including 6 million children, are afflicted with endemic fluorosis. Concerted efforts are now being made to provide defluoridated water and to educate people on nutritional supplementation, to prevent fluorosis.
The German Association of Gas and Water Employees the very people who were asked to put fluoride into water supplies prepared a detailed report considering all available evidence. After analysing all data, supported by 485 references, the report rejected water fluoridation on eight counts. It concluded, in essence, that water fluoridation is foreign to nature, unnecessary, unsatisfactory, illegal (according to two basic German laws), irresponsible, harmful to the environment, uncontrollable and inefficient (Dokumentation zur Frage der Trinkwasser Fluoridierung, DVGW Schriftenreihe, Wasser Nr 8, 1975).