FLUORIDE UNSAFE FOR BOTTLE-FEEDING INFANTS!

Irish Dentists Opposing Fluoridation www.idof.net

PRESS RELEASE 25/2/2002

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) Scientific Committee confirmed that bottle-feeding infants are receiving unsafe fluoride levels.(1) They reported, on 3/10/2001, that, "the assessment indicates that infants below the age of four months are exposed to doses of fluoride that exceed the recognised no observable effect level". Yet, this information has not been publicised and five months later bottle-feeding mothers are still overdosing their infants with fluoride from the tap water.

Therefore, Dr. Tom Moffat, Minister of State for Food Safety and Older People, on 13/2/2002, misled the Senate when explaining the delay in the FSAI's report into unsafe fluoride levels and infant formula.(2) He failed to mention the Scientific Committee's findings. He said further research was needed.

Dr. Moffat further misled the Senate when he reassured that, "[i]nternational consensus on the issue of infant formula and risk of overexposure to fluoride causing dental fluorosis (fluoride tooth damage) is not established." However, this is not the case. There are numerous international studies linking fluorosis and infant formula.(3,4,5) In the United States, the Academy of General Dentistry also contradicts Dr. Moffat's misinformation. They advise that in fluoridated areas, "it is recommended that parents use low fluoride bottled distilled water (labelled as "purified" or "distilled baby water") or tap water with a reverse osmosis home water filtration system attached that removes most of the fluoride".(6)

Dr. Don Mac Auley, spokesperson for Irish Dentists Opposing Fluoridation, commented, "based on the FSAI's conclusion that infants under four months are being overdosed with fluoride, we will now be recommending that bottle-feeding mothers do not use fluoridated tap water in their feed. At this very young age, both baby and permanent teeth are developing and these are easily damaged by fluoride. This damage called dental fluorosis (fluoride tooth damage) is on the increase in Ireland and in my own practice it affects 40-50% of all children and teenagers.(7) We now believe the Department of Health will try to rationalise these findings to protect their public health policy of fluoridation. However, as a group of health care professionals, we have a duty to protect public health and therefore we will be initiating a nationwide publicity campaign to highlight the dangers of using tap water to make up infants' feed. This campaign will involve both newspaper and radio advertising".

For further information contact: Dr. Don Mac Auley 046 21203

1. Food Safety Authority of Ireland. Minutes of the Eighth Meeting of the Scientific Committee. www.fsai.ie/scientific_committee/2001/eighth_meeting.htm

2. Senate Debate 13/2/2002. Adjournment matters. Fluoridation. www.gov.ie/oireachtas

3. Risk of dental fluorosis associated to consumption of infant formulas. iadr.confex.com/iadr/2002SanDiego/techprogram/abstract_7039.htm

4. Silva M, Reynolds EC, Fluoride Content Of Infant Formulae In Australia, Fluoride, 1996 May, 29:2, 15-116, from Australian Den J., 1996, 41:1, 37-42. See www.fluoridation.com/flteeth.htm

5. Levy SM, Kiritsy MC, Warren JJ, Sources Of Fluoride Intake In Children, Fluoride, 28:4, 1995 November, 215-216, from J. of Public Health Dentistry, 55 (1), 39-52 1995. See www.fluoridation.com/flteeth.htm

6. Academy of General Dentistry. Monitor Infant's Fluoride Intake. www.qualitydentistry.com/library/agd/fluoride.html

7. Fluoride Free Water. Dental Fluorosis Register of Ireland. See homepage.eircom.net/~fluoridefree/register.htm