A Cardiologist’s Call to Keep Fluoride in U.S. Water Source: Medscape – August 1, 2025
A Cardiologist’s Call to Keep Fluoride in U.S. Water
Source: Medscape – August 1, 2025
Historical Parallel:
• In 1728, Pierre Fauchard, the father of modern dentistry, warned that unqualified people — even some posing as dentists without proper training — were harming the quality of dental care.”
1.Why This Matters
• The U.S. is considering stopping the addition of fluoride to drinking water.
• This could harm both dental health and heart health.
2. The Link Between Teeth and the Heart
• Periodontal (gum) disease is linked to a 3.5× higher risk of atherosclerosis and more acute cardiovascular events.
• Studies show oral bacteria are often found in coronary clots, suggesting a possible link between dental infections and heart attacks.
• Gum disease worsens cholesterol profiles and increases carotid artery thickness; treating it can improve lipid levels and endothelial function.
3. Clinical Observations
• Some heart attack patients with few traditional risk factors had severe dental disease.
• Dental treatment (e.g., tooth extraction) was followed by reduced inflammation markers in some cases.
4. Origins of Water Fluoridation
• Discovered in Colorado Springs in the 1800s, where high natural fluoride led to fewer cavities.
• In 1945, Grand Rapids, Michigan became the first U.S. city to add fluoride to water, cutting childhood cavities by 60% within 10 years.
• The CDC calls fluoridation one of the top 10 public health achievements of the 20th century.
5. The Pushback Against Fluoride
• Political actions: Utah and Florida recently banned water fluoridation.
• Opponents cite studies suggesting neurotoxicity and behavioral issues, but these studies often come from regions with much higher fluoride levels than U.S. standards and have significant limitations.
• U.S. recommended level: 0.7 ppm (lower than WHO’s 1.5 ppm maximum).
6. Evidence of Harm from Stopping Fluoridation
• Calgary, Canada: Tooth decay in children rose from 55% to 65% within 7 years of stopping fluoridation.
• Windsor, Ontario: 51% increase in urgent dental cases among children after ending fluoridation; later reinstated it.
7. Equity in Dental Health
• Fluoridated water benefits everyone, especially those without regular dental care.
• Without it, lower-income and rural populations face greater dental and health inequalities.
8. Symbolic Lesson – George Washington’s Dentures
• The first U.S. president suffered lifelong dental problems, using dentures made from animal/human teeth, lead, and ivory.
• The author speculates his life would have been different with fluoridated water.
9. Final Warning
• Removing fluoride sacrifices both dental and cardiovascular health to misinformation and politics.
• Good science and public health policy should guide decisions, not pseudoscience.
Bottom line:
In Jordan, collaborating with dentists to investigate the prevalence of poor oral hygiene as a potential risk factor for coronary artery disease could provide valuable local data, guide targeted prevention programs, and strengthen interdisciplinary healthcare efforts.
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