Fluoride exposure is a contentious topic, mostly because exposure to such is everywhere. Not only is it a common ingredient in toothpaste, but a lot of municipalities have fluoride in their water supply. Why? Well, the reason is that it encourages oral health, even though it’s not known to prevent any kind of harmful bacteria.
What is known, though, is that fluoride is toxic. As a matter of fact, the number one reason for poison control call concerning fluoride is children who’ve eaten toothpaste or drunk too much drinking water and experiencing fluoridation. Long-term ingestion is harmful to the brain, digestive system, heart, bones and even tooth enamel.
The Dangers of Fluoride Exposure
Here are some of the most noted dangers when a person is exposed to too much fluoride:
Weakens Skeletal Health
Skeletal fluorosis is a condition resulting from fluoride consumption. The liver is unable to process fluoride, so it passes into the bloodstream where it fuses with calcium that’s been leeched from the skeletal system. You’re then left with weak bones, otherwise referred to as skeletal fluorosis.
The risk has been known about for decades, yet it’s not been established how much exposure will trigger skeletal fluorosis. And yet, the impact it can have on the quality of life is terrifying. The best way to protect yourself from such horrors is to stay away from using too much fluoride.
Toxic to the Thyroid
Iodine and fluoride belong to a family of compounds referred to as halogens. Although iodine is beneficial to the thyroid, fluoride isn’t. However, due to the similarities, the thyroid can absorb fluoride instead of iodine. This can be bad.
Fluoride is toxic to the thyroid cells as it inhibits their function and can cause cell death. For decades, fluoride was used to help lower thyroid function in people suffering from an overactive thyroid. Now, the range used in fluoride in water matches the levels usually used to lower the function of the thyroid.
Calcifies the Ultra-Important Pineal Gland
Although the full capabilities of the pineal gland have been the subject of debate for years, it’s known for certain that, at a minimum, the pineal gland helps regulate the body rhythms and wake-sleep cycles – two extremely important functions.
Fluoride is especially toxic to the pineal gland, where it gathers and calcifies the gland. As a matter of fact, by the time a regular person reaches old age, their pineal gland will have higher calcium density than their bones.
Bad for Kidney Health
Fluoride is toxic to the kidneys and a higher rate of chronic kidney disease has been reported in areas where the water contains high levels of fluoride.
According to researchers, a fluoride level of 2 mg/L is all it takes to cause renal damage in children. While fluoride present in water levels are often much lower than this, the fluoride bombardment continues with toothpaste and other sources.
Using non-fluoride toothpaste and eliminating fluoride in water can immediately lower your exposure to fluoride. However, the fluoride present in water is the largest concern and most filters aren’t adequate for eliminating it. Instead, look for reverse osmosis water purification systems you can use at home to lessen accidental fluoride intake through drinking water.
