FAN Bulletin  #501

Feb 26, 2006.

Dear All,

Fast on the heels of its inaccurate and ill-informed editorial (see FAN Bulletin #499), the Burlington Free Press, in today’s Sunday edition (the most widely read day of the week), printed three pro-fluoridation letters (see below) with none from the opponents.

This is the hardly the fair play we expect from Vermont.

Ironically, what the young opponents of fluoridation in this city feared most was an avalanche of advertisements from the well-healed proponents in the last few days before the vote there on March 7. However, it would appear that the proponents can save their funds for other battles, because the Burlington Free Press is giving them all the space they need for free.

Sad isn’t it? First, the editor gets away with the notion that science is only on the proponents’ side and today, the third letter writer attacks opponents for their “‘know-nothing’ chemical neurosis” and this just two days after I had given a 90 minutes presentation outlining the SCIENTIFIC ARGUMENTS against fluoridation.

Please contact any one you know in Burlington to get them to vote YES on 9 on March 7. Meanwhile, you can view some of the campaign material at http://www.swabvt.org

Paul Connett
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How fluoride prevents decay

I grew up in Burlington and this community is very important to me. I
recently returned to Burlington, after graduating from dental school, to
start my own family. It greatly disturbs me to see that there is even an
option of removing fluoride from our local drinking water. Fluoridating the
water helps to prevent tooth decay in all people. It does not discriminate
between class, age, race, south-enders, north-enders; it prevents decay
period. Removing fluoride, however, will discriminate against those who do
not have access to routine dental care.

As a dental student at the University of Maryland, I spent two weeks
working
on the Eastern Shore, where the water supply is not fluoridated. The amount
of decay there was substantial relative to my patient population in
Baltimore, where water is fluoridated: we pulled nearly as many teeth as we
tried to fix. The difference was not due to the brand of toothpaste or the
personal hygiene, but the lack of fluoride.

Burlington’s water source has been fluoridated for 54 years. Fluoride is
found naturally in water and is only supplemented when levels are below the
optimum level for preventing decay. Sixty years of research by sources
including the CDC, United States Public Health Service, the National
Research Council, and the ADA supports water fluoridation.

Please understand that fluoridation is not a conspiracy by the dental
community or the government. The real conspiracy would be removing it,
which
would increase our potential business.

If you care about this community, as I do, please vote “no” on the fluoride
issue.

T. BRYAN CONNOLLY, DDS
Burlington
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Keep fluoride in the water

On March 7, Burlington residents will vote on an advisory question related
to fluoridating the water supply. Health professionals nationally and in
our
own community recommend fluoride in community water systems as an effective
and cost-effective way to prevent dental decay.

Fluoride in the City of Burlington’s water supply has been safely and
effectively improving children’s dental health in Burlington since 1952.
The
Vermont Department of Health, Vermont State Dental Society, Vermont Medical
Society, and Vermont Dental Hygiene Association all endorse community water
fluoridation for the health of Vermonters, especially children.

Ask your own doctor, dentist, dental hygienist, or health department public
health nurse about water fluoridation and don’t miss this opportunity to
continue progress against tooth decay in Burlington. Vote no. Keep fluoride
in the water — it’s safe, effective, and prevents cavities in children in
our community.

JAN K. CARNEY, MD MPH
Burlington

The writer is associate dean for public health, University of Vermont
College of Medicine.
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Healthy teeth from fluoride

Vote “NO” on the March ballot item to take fluoride out of our water
supply.
Healthy teeth are important to healthy eating and general good health. My
teeth are full of mercury fillings because we did not have fluoride when I
was a child. Without fluoride most of my elders lost their teeth by middle
age. Virtually all of my ancestors had no teeth by age 40. Thanks to
fluoride treatment of the water supply none of my three children and seven
grandchildren have had cavities.

No need for teeth repair is against the self-interest of the dental
profession, yet dentists are unanimous in their support of fluoride
treatment of the water supply. The fluoride anxiety behind the upcoming
ballot item appears to be a “know-nothing” chemical neurosis. Please keep
fluoride treatment in our water supply. Vote “NO” on the March item.

EDWIN GRANAI
Burlington