Fluoride is a mineral that has been used since the early 1900s for dental health. However, many recent studies have shown that fluoride consumption can be toxic because it causes oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, it’s an endocrine disruptor and it decreases our antioxidant defenses. Due to its toxic effects, studies have shown that it may cause damage to the kidneys, liver, heart, DNA, cancer, diabetes, reduce IQ, increase triglycerides, disrupt thyroid function, disrupt sleep cycles, and weaken bones.

According to the American Cancer Society, water fluoridation in the U.S. began in 1945. In 1962, the “United States Public Health Service (PHS) recommended that public water supplies contain fluoride to help prevent tooth decay.” They recommended that public water supplies contain between 0.7 and 1.2 mg/L of fluoride. The EPA set a maximum amount of fluoride allowable in public drinking water systems, of 4.0 mg/L.”

The problem, as this review explains, is that “even relatively low concentrations may cause various adverse or even toxic effects [1,2,3,4,5]. The risk naturally increases with the intensity and duration of the exposure, with long-term exposure resulting in chronic poisoning [6,7].”

Given that fluoride is flowing through our public water, it’s difficult and/or expensive to avoid it. Fortunately, numerous studies show that plants rich in polyphenols which are antioxidant & anti-inflammatory can help to mitigate or reverse the toxic effects of fluoride. Let’s start by reviewing the studies about how palo azul tea could help to detoxify fluoride and then we will explore exactly how fluoride’s toxic effects can harm our health.

How can palo azul tea combat fluoride’s toxicity?

1. Antioxidant

Many studies found that supplementation with antioxidant compounds such as vitamin C, quercetin, resveratrol, and other polyphenols helped to mitigate the toxic effects of fluoride. Several studies have actually measured palo azul’s antioxidant capacity and total polyphenolic content and it scored around 8-26 times higher than green tea, vitamin C and spirulina.

This 2021 study found that “phytochemicals that act as antioxidants have the potential to protect cells from oxidative stress. Evidence confirms that clinical symptoms of fluorosis can be mitigated to some extent or prevented by long-term intake of antioxidants and plant products.”

This 2009 study examined 100 children who drank tap water containing 1.2, 2.4, 5.6 and 13.6 mg/l of fluoride and the results “indicated an increasing oxidative stress in cases of fluorosis with increasing drinking water fluoride concentration. Treatment with Calcium, Vitamin D and Vitamin C resulted a significant reduction in serum fluoride.”

This study on palo azul tea actually found that the “free radical scavenging activity of EP (palo azul) showed 98.32% and ascorbic acid (vitamin C) 86.53% at the same concentrations.”

Another 2012 study concluded the following about the flavonoid quercetin: “Quercetin protects rat liver from sodium fluoride induced oxidative stress, probably via its antioxidant activity.”

This study on palo azul tea found that “EP (palo azul) and quercetin exhibited 74% and 70.45% inhibition, respectively” therefore, the scavenging capacity of (palo azul) was higher than that of quercetin.”

This 2016 study found that “two antioxidants, namely mangiferin and genistein, have been reported to exert protective effect against NaF (sodium fluoride)-induced oxidative insult. Pre-treatment with both mangiferin and genistein, however, exclusively prevented the induction of cytotoxicity induced by NaF.”

Genistein is a polyphenolic isoflavone that belongs to the flavonoid group. All these sources (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) found that palo azul tea has isoflavones and other polyphenols.

This 2010 study found that “antioxidant treatment consistently protects cells from the lipid peroxidation caused by fluoride exposure, suggesting that oxidative/nitrosative damage is the major mode of action of fluoride.”

This 2019 study found that another polyphenol, resveratrol protected against fluoride: “Resveratrol offered protective benefit against NaF-mediated toxicity in flies due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.”

This 2011 study also showed that “supplementing the diet with antioxidants reversed the toxic effects of fluoride in the body.”

2. Increase Endogenous Antioxidant Defenses

The previously cited 2011 study highlights the importance of increasing our antioxidant defenses:

“Dietary supplementation of selenium and vitamin E increased the oxidative stability of cardiac tissues by increasing the endogenous antioxidants. Administration of antioxidants is beneficial in promoting the recovery from fluoride induced toxicity, perhaps by augmentation of glutathione system; its involvement in detoxification process might help to delay LPO (lipid peroxidation) rate. Thus, it can be drawn that vitamin E and selenium are significantly important in reducing chronic fluorosis and detoxification of heart tissue against the toxic effects of fluoride by preventing the oxidative stress caused due to fluoride.”

These studies (1, 2) on palo azul tea actually showed that it “significantly increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx).”

This 2011 study concluded that “animals which were pretreated with curcumin at 20 mg/kg for 1 week prior to sodium fluoride intoxication showed significant reduction in the malondialdehyde level. Also, pretreated with curcumin (20 mg/kg) and vitamin C restored the superoxide dismutase and catalase activities and modified the level of reduced glutathione compared with control group.”

Another 2012 study similarly concluded the following:

“The activities of various antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase and catalase, level of reduced glutathione and lipid peroxidation end product were determined in the cardiac tissues of all the experimental animals. NaF (sodium fluoride) intoxication significantly altered all the indices related to the pro-oxidant-antioxidant status of the heart; treatment with the active constituents prior to NaF administration, however, prevented these alterations. The combined results suggest that quercetin protects rat hearts from NaF-induced oxidative stress, probably via its antioxidant properties.”

3. Anti-diabetic, Anti-hyperglycemic and Anti-hyperlipidemic

This 2012 study found that “(tamarind) leaf powder as a supplement reversed the fluoride-induced lipid peroxidation in a dose-dependent manner. While in fluoride-exposed rats both SOD and CAT activities were reduced significantly, T. indica leaf powder addition to the diet accelerated the activities of both SOD and CAT.”

Moreover, the researchers found that “both hepatic and renal glutathione content and glutathione peroxidase activity decreased significantly in fluoride-exposed rats; addition of T. indica leaf powder to the diet resulted in considerable improvement in both hepatic and renal glutathione content and glutathione peroxidase activity.”

They also showed that “the improved antioxidant status with significant reduction in tissue lipid peroxidation in fluoride-exposed (tamarind) leaf powder-fed rats could be attributed to the phytoconstituents of (tamarind) leaf powder.”

Phytonutrients is another name for “plant nutrients” which includes polyphenols, flavonoids, etc.

The researchers conclude the following:

“Thus, the present study clearly indicates the potential of (tamarind) leaves as an antihyperglycaemic, antihyperlipidaemic, antiperoxidative and antioxidant agent in fluoride-induced toxicity. The improvement in carbohydrate, lipid and antioxidant metabolisms could be due to the multi-factorial effects of secondary metabolites (polyphenols) present in tamarind leaves.”

For reference, these studies (1, 2) found that the polyphenolic content of tamarind leaves was around 139.87 mg/g and this study found that palo azul’s polyphenolic content was 856.50 mg/g, meaning that palo azul scored 6 times higher than tamarind leaves.

Due to palo azul’s high polyphenolic content, this 2018 found that it “showed antidiabetic and anti-hyperlipidemic activities, an ability to reduce the formation of advanced glycation end products, and an antioxidant capacity.”

This 2014 study similarly concluded that “Eysenhardtia polystachya (palo azul) possesses considerable antioxidant activity with reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging activity and demonstrated an anti-AGEs and hepatoprotective role, inhibits hyperglycemic, hyperlipidemic and oxidative stress.”

4. Anti-inflammatory

This 2007 concluded that “MDA (lipid peroxide) may play an important role in the pathogenesis of fluoride-induced oxidative endometrial damage. CAPE (Caffeic acid phenethyl ester) may have protective aspects in this process by its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect.”

This study on palo azul showed that it “exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity” and numerous other studies have demonstrated palo azul’s powerful anti-inflammatory properties.

5. Inhibit Lipid Peroxidation

This 2007 study concluded that “fluoride caused a significant increase in MDA levels (an important marker of lipid peroxidation) in the fluoride group compared with the controls (p<0.05). Vitamins E and C significantly reduced the fluoride-induced lipid peroxidation.”

The authors concluded the following:

“From these results, it can be concluded that subchronic fluoride administration causes endometrial apoptosis, and lipid peroxidation may be a molecular mechanism involved in fluoride-induced toxicity. Furthermore, treatment with a combination of vitamins E and C reduced endometrial apoptosis caused by fluoride.”

This study on palo azul explains its beneficial effects against lipid peroxidation:

“Our data indicates that the bark of (palo azul) has an ability to reduce oxidative stress under diabetic conditions, prevent and/or delay the onset renal, pancreatic, and hepatic damage through decreasing of lipid peroxidation, antioxidant properties, and increasing radical scavenging enzymes activity, also reduce intracellular reactive oxygen species, and they consequently could alleviate complications of diabetes.”

Several other studies (1, 2, 3) on palo azul showed that it can inhibit lipid peroxidation.

Here are 13 toxic effects of fluoride

1. Kidney & Liver Damage

This 2016 study found that “(fluoride) promotes oxidative stress and disrupts tissue homeostasis in the vital organs of the body including kidney and liver. Analysis indicated that NaF (sodium fluoride) disrupted the intracellular antioxidant potential of the renal cells.” This same study concluded that “the antioxidative and gene modulatory role of mangiferin and genistein were found to be effective in NaF (sodium fluoride) induced oxidative stress in renal cells.”

This 2017 study concluded that “NaF (sodium fluoride)-caused oxidative stress and apoptosis finally impaired hepatic function.”

Similarly, a 2012 study showed that “fluoride-exposed rats exhibited elevated levels of hepatic and renal tissue lipid peroxidation with significant decline in hepatic and renal antioxidant profiles.”

Moreover, this 2018 study explains that “fluoride toxicity can lead to renal damage in children. Among this group, the children drinking water with more than 2 ppm fluoride – particularly those with dental fluorosis – were found to have increased levels of NAG and y-GT in their urine, both of which are markers of kidney damage. The children’s urine also contains increased levels of lactic dehydrogenase – a possible indicator of liver damage. A diseased kidney is unable to effectively excrete fluoride, so individuals with compromised kidneys are at risk of developing fluorosis even at normal recommended limit of 0.7–1.2 ppm.”

2. Accumulates in pineal gland, reduces melatonin, and disrupts sleep cycle

This 2019 study mentions that “fluoride from environmental sources accumulates preferentially in the pineal gland which produces melatonin, the hormone that regulates the sleep-wake cycle. Fluoride exposure may contribute to changes in sleep cycle regulation and sleep behaviors.”

A 2020 study similarly mentions that “due to its exceptionally high vascularization and its location outside the blood–brain barrier, the pineal gland may accumulate significant amounts of calcium and fluoride, making it the most fluoride-saturated organ of the human body. Both the calcification and accumulation of fluoride may result in melatonin deficiency.”

The authors of this review point out the following sleeplessness symptoms from fluoride:

“Higher water fluoride levels were connected with higher odds of participants reporting snorting, gasping, or apnea, while sleeping at night. Additionally, adolescents who lived in areas with higher fluoride levels in tap water experienced more frequent daytime sleepiness. The authors [11] were of the opinion that fluoride exposure may contribute to increased pineal gland calcification and subsequent decreases in nighttime melatonin production that contribute to sleep disturbances.”

This review also found that animals exposed to fluoride had “decreased activity of enzymes and GSH concentration and increased MDA concentration, which is a marker of increased oxidative stress, painting a very disturbing picture of the effects of fluoride accumulation in the pineal gland.”

The researchers concluded that “fluoride in the pineal gland at the magnitude of several dozen or even several hundred mg/kg ww, may show inhibitory activity on melatonin synthesis pathway enzymes.”

3. Heart Damage

This 2021 study concludes that “chronic exposure to fluoride causes damage to the myocardium.” This same study found that “oral supplementation of selenium and vitamin E not only inhibited oxidative stress but also enhanced the activities of antioxidant enzymes. Administration of antioxidants during fluoride exposure significantly overcame cardiac fluoride toxicity and therefore may be a therapeutic strategy for fluorotic victims.”

The researchers explain how fluoride can damage the heart:

“(fluoride) accumulation in soft tissues causes injury by reducing the potential of scavenging free radicals which critically injure the biological membranes. Intensified free radical production or disturbed antioxidant level leads to oxidative stress which is known to be a key etiopathological factor in a variety of cardiac diseases such as heart failure and ischemic heart disease. Therefore, antioxidant balance is very essential in protecting the heart to perform its normal functions.”

This 2011 study similarly mentioned that “consumption of high doses of fluoride has been found to interfere with the cardiac system of animals, causing irregularities and low blood pressure due to increase in oxidative stress.”

4. Diabetes

This 2012 study found that “exposure to fluoride elevated plasma glucose and lipid profiles, simulating diabetic and hyperlipidaemic conditions, the antioxidant defense mechanisms of fluoride-exposed rats were compromised, with elevation and decline in lipid peroxidation and high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, respectively. Fluoride is also reported to be hyperglycaemic, as it significantly elevated fasting blood glucose levels in laboratory animals, which was attributed to lowered insulin levels [4, 5].”

This same study found that “when the diet was supplemented with tender tamarind leaves, significant improvements in carbohydrate and lipid profiles occurred as evidenced by decreased plasma glucose and lipid levels, lipid peroxidation.”

A 1977 study also showed that “prolonged exposure to high fluoride inhibits glycolysis and ATP production. The direct intraperitoneal injection of mammals with high fluoride, resulting in at least 0.1 mg/L total fluoride in the blood, can lead to higher blood glucose.”

This 2020 review writes the following:

“Fluoride exposure has also been demonstrated to alter insulin concentrations in the blood. Fluoride reversibly inhibits insulin secretion, leading to an overall reduced insulin concentration in the serum. Chronic exposure to high fluoride may partially contribute to diabetes.”

5. Increase cholesterol & Triglycerides

This 2012 study found that “administration of fluoride through drinking water caused hypercholesterolaemia as indicated by significant increases in plasma lipid profiles accompanied by lowered HDL-C content. Fluoride-exposed animals registered higher levels of hepatic total lipids, total cholesterol and triglycerides. The FC (fluoride) group registered a significant increase in hepatic and renal tissue lipid peroxidation.”

Numerous studies have shown that palo azul tea decreased triglycerides and cholesterol levels because it is anti-hyperlipidemic.

Additionally, this 2017 study found that “NaF (sodium fluoride) induced apoptosis via tumor necrosis factor receptor-1 (TNF-R1) signaling pathway.”

TNF Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha: Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) is a multifunctional cytokine secreted primarily by macrophages, natural killer (NK) cells, and lymphocytes. TNF promotes dyslipidemia and insulin resistance, both of which are traditional risk factors for atherosclerotic processes.

Dyslipidemia is the imbalance of lipids such as cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, (LDL-C), triglycerides, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL).

These studies (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) on palo azul actually found that it “significantly inhibited the expression of TNF-α” and “decreased the serum concentration of TNF-α”.

6. Cancer

This review points out that “the only government-sanctioned animal study to investigate whether fluoride causes cancer, in 1990, found a dose-dependent increase in cancer in the target organ (bone) of fluoride-treated, male rats.[17] This led to a 14-year research carried out by Harvard University that showed a significant link between fluoridation and a rare form of bone cancer called osteosarcoma in young boys, consistent with the results of the 1990 animal study.[18]

Moreover, this 1996 study mentions that “the US National Toxicology Program has shown equivocal evidence of carcinogenic activity of sodium fluoride (NaF) in male F344/N rats based on the occurrence of five osteosarcomas in treated animals.”

7. Endocrine Disruptor & Decreases Thyroid

This 2020 review points out that “fluoride was officially classified by the National Research Council in 2006 as an endocrine disruptor for its ability to inhibit the thyroid at high concentrations. Exposure to fluoride can lead to a decrease in the thyroid hormones triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4).”

Moreover, the authors mention that “studies that have reported a significant decrease of T3 and T4 by fluoride typically involve either patients with dental fluorosis, or mammals exposed to 30–80 ppm (2–4 mM) fluoride for ≥2 months.”

The authors cite several studies (1, 2, 3) which showed that “on a cellular level, the thyroid undergoes DNA damage, membrane disruption, mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum stress, and oxidative stress signaling during fluoride exposure.”

The authors of the review explain that “the resulting hypothyroidism alters the body’s ability to regulate temperature, metabolism, and heart rate, which has far-reaching implications for patients with severe fluorosis.”

8. Reduces IQ

This 2021 study concluded that “the analysis found that a maternal urine fluoride concentration of 0.2 mg/L was enough to lower IQ by 1 point.”

This review explains how fluoride neurotoxicity can affect the brain and reduce IQ:

“Fluoride as a neurotoxin has been proven in several animal studies. A 2006 National Research Council report stated that it is apparent that fluorides have the ability to interfere with the functions of the brain and the body by direct and indirect means.[19,20] This finding was confirmed by a study where groups of children exposed to 8 ppm fluoride in water were found to have lower average IQs, less children attaining high IQ, and more children affected by low IQ.[21] While 8 ppm is much higher than the fluoride level added to water in fluoridation programs (0.7–1.2 ppm), these results are in congruence with previous studies[22] from China that indicate that fluoride may affect IQ at lower levels.[23].”

9. Skeletal Fluorosis = Weaker Bones

This 2020 review mentions that “skeletal fluorosis is the most severe form of chronic fluoride toxicity.” They explain that the uptake of fluoride into bones“ alters the general bone lattice and reduces its overall strength. As such, vertebrates exposed to high fluoride have mechanically weaker bones.”

The authors explain who are the most susceptible to skeletal fluorosis:

“This increased brittleness is associated with skeletal dysmorphia and higher risk of fracture. It is estimated that for the average person, 6–10 mg per day of fluoride ingestion for at least 10 years leads to skeletal fluorosis. Children are the most susceptible, and accumulate fluoride at a greatly accelerated rate compared with adults. Patients with kidney disorders are also at high risk for skeletal fluorosis, given that kidneys are essential for filtering fluoride.”

10. Oxidative Stress

This 2010 study mentions that “oxidative stress is a recognized mode of action of fluoride exposure that has been observed in vitro in several types of cells and also in vivo in soft tissues such as the liver, kidney, brain, lung, and testes in animals and in people.”

This 2013 study in humans found that “oxidative stress index (OSI) was significantly higher in fluorosis group than in control group.”

This 2012 review points out that “many reports show that fluoride caused oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation and change in enzymatic antioxidant activities.”

This quote from a 2009 study perfectly explains how oxidative stress can lower our antioxidant defenses and increase lipid peroxidation, which results in degenerative diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer:

“Oxidative stress generates reactive oxygen species—superoxide (O2−), hydrogen peroxide, peroxynitrite and hydroxyl radicals—and, when free-radical production is excessive, oxidative damage occurs, compromising the antioxidant defense systems. This results in chemical injury to lipids, proteins and DNA. In various clinical conditions such as diabetes, hypercholesterolaemia, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disorders, and cancer, oxidative stress plays a major role in pathogenesis of these diseases.”

11. Decrease Antioxidant Defenses

This 2010 study found that “fluoride inhibits the activities of antioxidant enzymes—superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase—and reduces levels of glutathione. Glutathione reduction leads to overproduction of reactive oxygen species at the mitochondrial level, resulting in damage of cellular components. Besides, production of excessive reactive oxygen species results in oxidation of macromolecules, membrane phospholipid breakdown, lipid peroxidation, mitochondrial membrane depolarization and apoptosis.”

This 2021 study similarly asserts that “oxidative stress is known to be one of the most important mechanisms of fluoride toxicity. Fluoride promotes the accumulation of reactive oxygen species by inhibiting the activity of antioxidant enzymes, resulting in the excessive production of reactive oxygen species at the cellular level which further leads to activation of cell death processes such as apoptosis.”

This 2013 study in humans concluded that the “TAC (total antioxidant capacity) was significantly lower in fluorosis group.”

Another 2010 study also mentions that “fluoride can alter glutathione levels, often resulting in the excessive production of ROS at the mitochondrial level, leading to the damage of cellular components.”

This 2017 study also showed that “NaF (sodium fluoride)-caused oxidative stress was accompanied by increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and decreasing mRNA expression levels and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) and glutathione-s-transferase (GST).”

This 2011 study also showed that “activities of CAT and SOD and GSH content were decreased in both auricle and ventricle regions on fluoride exposure.” In this quote, the researchers explain the importance of SOD and CAT:

“SOD offers first line of defense against the superoxide radicals. It is one of the most important intracellular antioxidant enzymes, which has an antitoxic effect against superoxide anion that causes impairment to macromolecules like proteins, lipids, carbohydrates and nucleotides. Similarly, CAT, helps to protect the biological tissues by avoiding the accumulation of hydrogen peroxide by dismutating it to form water and oxygen.”

12. Lipid Peroxidation

This 2011 study found that “fluoride treatment significantly increased the lipid peroxidation and decreased the activity of antioxidant enzymes, viz., catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione level in auricle and ventricle regions of the heart. Decreased antioxidant enzymes and increased malondialdehyde levels might be related to oxidative damage.”

This 2010 study mentions that “it is known that excessive ROS production leads to macromolecule oxidation, resulting in free radical attack of membrane phospholipids with resulting membrane damage via induction of lipid peroxidation, mitochondrial membrane depolarization, and apoptosis.”

This 2012 study similarly concluded that “exposure to fluoride results in generation of anion superoxide (O2−), increased O2 concentration and its downstream consequences such as hydrogen peroxide, peroxynitrite and hydroxyl radicals which are important in mediating the toxic effects of fluoride.”

13. DNA Damage

This 2021 study found that “fluoride can induce mitochondrial damage, including decreasing circulating mitochondrial DNA content, dysregulating biogenesis, and circular structure loss.”

Another 2018 study similarly mentions that “fluoride has been shown to be mutagenic by causing chromosome damage and interference with the enzymes involved with DNA repair in a variety of cell and tissue studies carried out in animals.”

This 2020 review found that “exposure to high concentrations of fluoride, such as in a laboratory setting often exceeding 100 ppm, results in a wide array of toxicity phenotypes. This includes oxidative stress, organelle damage, and apoptosis in single cells, and skeletal and soft tissue damage in multicellular organisms.”

The researchers explain how fluoride causes DNA damage:

“Fluoride inhibits metabolism through an unclear mechanism, the downstream effects include reduction in intracellular ATP and damage to the mitochondria. ATP is reduced both in cells containing mitochondria – which display signs of permanent damage and reduced respiration after fluoride exposure. Damage to the mitochondria releases free radicals, resulting in oxidative stress. This in turn causes DNA damage, metabolic disruption, ATP hydrolysis, protein inhibition, and intracellular acidification.”

This 2015 study found that “either directly or indirectly, fluoride exposure damages mitochondrial membrane integrity.”

Another 2015 study also showed that “fluoride-exposed cells undergo intensive DNA damage, presumably through free radical oxidation. Fluoride triggers both single- and double-stranded DNA damage following oxidative stress.”

14. Toxic

This review mentions that “sodium fluoride is an extremely toxic substance, just 200 mg of fluoride ion is enough to kill a young child, and just 3–5 g (e.g., a teaspoon) is enough to kill an adult.”

Alarmingly, the American Cancer Society affirms that “the types of fluoride added to different water systems include fluorosilicic acid, sodium fluorosilicate, and sodium fluoride.”

According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (1993), “certain subsets of the population may be particularly vulnerable to fluoride’s toxic effects. These include the elderly, the diabetics, and people with poor kidney function. Also vulnerable are those who suffer from malnutrition, for example, calcium, magnesium, vitamin C, vitamin D, iodine deficiencies, and protein-poor diets. Those most likely to suffer from poor nutrition are the poor, who are precisely the people being targeted by new fluoridation programs.”

This 2020 review found that “chronic toxicity to low doses of fluoride occurs after prolonged exposure to >1.5 ppm (75 μM) fluoride. This toxicity, known as dental fluorosis, is characterized by mottled and discolored teeth.”

Remember that the USPHS aims to keep our water between 0.7 – 1.2 ppm of fluoride and the EPA’s maximum fluoride content in water is 4.0 ppm…so prolonged exposure at 1.5 ppm is a very real concern.

Should the U.S. Ban Fluoride?

This review explains that water fluoridation is “a violation of human rights” because it is considered a medical practice that is carried out without our consent. This is what the authors wrote:

“Fluoridation of community drinking water is considered unethical because individuals are not being asked for their informed consent prior to medication. It is standard practice to obtain consent for all medication, and this is one of the key reasons why most of Western Europe has ruled against fluoridation. It is a violation of human rights, a direct violation of the Nuremberg code that states that research or even routine medical procedures must be done with the voluntary cooperation of the subjects who must be fully informed of the risks or benefits of the procedure in which they are involved.[9].”

Lastly, they mention that “most of the west European countries have rejected water fluoridation including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland. The only three western European countries which still practice water fluoridation are Ireland (100%), Spain (10%), and the United Kingdom (11%).”

Conclusion

Shouldn’t we be allowed to decide what we put in our bodies? If people want fluoride to promote dental health, then they have the right to purchase fluoridated water or toothpaste with fluoride. But why does everyone in the country have to be forcefully exposed to fluoride without any consent? Until we remove fluoride from our public water system, our best choice is to avoid tap water, use filtration, and consume antioxidant rich foods and teas such as palo azul in order to detoxify fluoride from our bodies.