Deadly Toothpaste
We’ve all been led to believe fluoride is good for maintaining healthy teeth, but this just isn’t the truth at all. Data compiled by the World Health Organisation shows absolutely no difference in tooth decay in countries that use fluoridated water compared with countries that don’t. In mid 2007 even the American Dental Association (a long-time proponents of fluoride) reversed its position. It now advises dentists against giving babies fluoride because of its adverse effect on bone growth.
Toothpaste is used daily and in sometimes generous amounts. While flouridated toothpaste may have some benefit topically, the fact that much of it is swallowed during use is what poses a danger to your child. This is because the flouride used in these products is sodium fluoride (a by-product of, primarily, the phosphate fertilizer industry).
The following is a list of the ways in which fluoride can affect you and your children and is taken from the book Take Control of your Life by Dr Joseph Mercola and Dr Kendra Pearsall:
- Fluoride accumulates in your bones, making them brittle and more easily fractured.
- Fluoride accumulates in your Pineal gland, which may inhibit the production of the hormone melatonin. Melatonin helps regulate the onset of puberty.
- Fluoride damages tooth enamel (known as dental fluorosis) and may lower fertility rates.
- Fluoride has been found to increase the uptake of aluminium into your brain and lead into blood.
- Fluoride inhibits antibodies from forming in your blood.
- Fluoride confuses the immune system, causing it to attack the tissues in your body. This can increase the growth rate of tumours in people prone to cancer.
There are plenty of natural alternatives on offer. Some come in commercial form (for example, Nature Fresh and Echantrix) and are available at most good health stores. For the more adventurous, you can make your own:
5 teaspoons food-grade bicarbonate of soda + 2 teaspoons Himalayan salt + 1 to 2 drops Oragano oil. Mix with water into a thick paste.
In place of commercial mouthwash, a good antiseptic alternative is gargling with salt water. If bad breath is the problem, it’s very likely to be coming from the gut (not the mouth). Focus on what your child is eating and drinking in order to deal with this problem.