FLUORIDE AND YOUR TEETH
A PUSU Fact Sheet for Young People · draft for schools
THE CLAIM
The fluoride added to tap water is a poison, or a secret way to control
people's minds.
» What fluoride is
Fluoride is a natural mineral. It is found in rocks and soil and is already
present in many water supplies and foods with no one adding it. It is the very
same ingredient that makes toothpaste work.
» Why a little is added to water
In a tiny, carefully controlled amount -- about one part in a million, roughly
a single drop in a bathtub -- fluoride makes tooth enamel harder and greatly
cuts tooth decay. Adding it to water was one of the great public-health wins
of the last century, especially for children who cannot get to a dentist
often.
» Why it is not a poison
Almost anything is harmful in a large enough amount, including ordinary salt
and even water. The fluoride in tap water is hundreds of times below any level
that could hurt you -- you could not physically drink enough. It has no effect
on the brain or on behaviour; there is no mechanism for it and no evidence for
it.
★ TRY IT YOURSELF ★
Read the ingredients on a tube of toothpaste. You will almost certainly find
'sodium fluoride' -- the same mineral, doing the same job for your teeth.