Fluoride Induced Ailments Widespread

The February 14, 2001 issue of the Alternative Medicine Newsletter reports that millions of people throughout India, China and parts of Africa currently suffer from various forms of fluoride toxicity and that millions of Americans may be suffering from it as well.

Fluoride has been added to the nation's water supply for years as a tooth decay preventative and has been touted by some as being safe. Not so, says Paul Connett, PhD of the Fluoride Action Network (FAN). Millions of people around the world are suffering from a form of fluoride poisoning known as skeletal fluorosis.

The symptoms of skeletal fluorosis very closely mimic the symptoms of arthritis and include chronic joint pain, muscle wasting, calcification of spinal structures and bone deformities. According to the Journal of the American Chemical Society, "the first two clinical phases [of skeletal fluorosis] could be easily misdiagnosed" as arthritis. The journal also goes on to report that "virtually no research" has been done to determine how much misdiagnosis occurs.

Dr. Connett goes on to say that American are exposed to high levels of fluoride through fluoridated water, dental products and pesticide residues. He warns that continued exposure to fluoride may well be a contributing factor to the greatly increased levels of arthritis in the U.S., particularly in the elderly.

More information on this story can be found at http://www.fluoridealert.org/ifin-236.htm. Information on the dangers of fluoride can be found at the Fluoride Action Network website at http://www.fluoridealert.org.