FAN Bulletin 780

March 14, 2007

Dear All,

On January 9, 2007, one of the leading gurus of fluoridation promotion, Ernest Newbrun D.M.D., Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, University of California San Francisco, gave a power point presentation at the University of California, San Francisco, as part of their Dental Public Health Seminar Series. Those of you who have seen the outstanding credentials of some of the hundreds of opponents of fluoridation from the 1950’s, which we circulated in Voices from the Past Series, parts 1,2 and 3 (many more to come), will get an inkling of the kind of rubbish and abuse they had to put up with, as well as fluoridation opponents ever since. It is hard to believe that a professor from a major university could seriously peddle such opinions as professor Newbrun does in this power point presentation. I have printed out some of his slides below and if you have the stomach for it you can watch his full power point presentation at
http://www.ucsf.edu/dphtalk/Powerpoint%20Presentations/CommunityWaterFluor%20Presentation%2001-08-07.ppt

Once again, our thanks go to Carol Kopf for sleuthing out this incredible piece of documentation.

On a saner note, Michael has added video number 5 on Google video. This is a 3 minute clip from Tennessee featuring an interview with state legislator Dr. Joey Hensley, MD and Dan Stockin on their efforts to end fluoridation in Tennessee.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4876909488212286065

Paul Connett
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Some issues on fluoridation revisited: Implications for dental and dental public health practice

Ernest Newbrun D.M.D., Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus
University of California San Francisco
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Why does opposition to community water fluoridation continue?

For no good reason (slide 90)
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Top reasons why opponents do not like community fluoridation

It’s too hard to spell
It doesn’t have that fresh mint taste like the one you get at the dentist
Who needs fluoride, we’re all going to wear dentures anyway
Somebody’s got to stop these 61 year-old newfangled ideas
37 thousand studies is not enough information to make a decision
A little suffering is good for your character
They don’t like to use the F word (slide 95)

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Antifluoridation types

right-wing extremists
misguided environmentalists (Greens)
chiropractors
elderly concerned about costs
food faddists
anti-science naturalists
self-proclaimed neutrals
born-again antifluoridationists (slide 97)

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Chronology of antifluoridation propaganda

1950s: Communist plot
1960s: Environmental concerns, use of buzz words e.g. toxic waste, pollutant, poison
1970s: Antimilitary-industrial complex mood, conspiracy of U.S. government,

health establishment and industry, human cancer

1980s: Aging, Alzheimer’s disease, AIDS
1990s: Bone fracture, decreased birth rate, human cancer (slide 98)

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Fluoride: a poison

opponents comparison: arsenic, lead
accurate comparison: iodine, iron, zinc, Vitamins A and D, essential elements,

all are toxic in excess (slide 102)
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What motivates the opponents?

fluorophobia: health hazard
sin and punishment: bad dieters deserve rotten teeth
oppose government intervention in health care
paranoia: belief in government/ industry/health professional conspiracy
instant recognition -fame or notoriety (slide 104)

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Lecture Summary

The inverse relationship between fluoride in water and caries prevalence was discovered due to the direct relationship to enamel fluorosis.

Health authorities throughout the world agree that communal water fluoridation continues to be the most cost-effective, equitable and safe means to provide protection from tooth decay in a community.

Because of untreated decay, particularly in those with lower income, lower education level and least access to dental care, there is an ongoing need for water fluoridation.

A small, but vocal minority continue to oppose this proven public measure for a variety of reasons, none of which are scientifically valid. (slides 109, 110)