Fluoridation Argumentative Essay

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Many citizens of the U.S see fluoridating our water as a positive action since there are health benefits, but do many of them know about the negative side of fluoridation? Fluoridation is when chemicals and fluoride are added to the main water supply, for the purpose of helping prevent tooth decay and cavities. The U.S has fluorinated about 70% of the main water supply according to the Fluoride Action Network at http://fluoridealert.org/issues/water/, with about 1.2 mg/l of fluoride added to our drinking water according to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention at http://www.cdc.gov/fluoridation/faqs/. The debate about whether to fluoridate our water or not has been going on for roughly 70 years; yet there has been no conclusion about the safety of drinking fluoridated water according to What’s the Debate at http://ilikemyteeth.org/fluoridation/. Scientific evidence from …show more content…

Children who consume fluoridated water obtain dental fluorosis, a condition that causes the teeth to become discolored due to excessive fluoride intake. Fluoridation can also cause children to have “cosmetically objectionable” fluorosis, an effect on the front teeth that can cause children embarrassment and anxiety at the age when appearance is the most important priority of self-esteem. There are 4 ways to treat fluorosis: Porcelain Crown($500), Porcelain Laminate Veneer($400), Composite Veneer($150), and Enamel Microabrasion($50) according to Oral Answers at http://www.oralanswers.com/dental-fluorosis-treatment/. Until the late 1970’s, fluoridated water can cause severe bone disease in dialysis patients and patients with other advanced forms of kidney disease. A range of side effects due to fluoridated water include arthritis, damage to the brain, reduced thyroid function, and a chance of osteosarcoma (bone cancer) in men, information according to the Fluoride Action

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