Persuasive Speech Outline On Fluoride

Victoria Singleton

31 October 2013

Comm101- Persuasive Outline

Introduction

I. Attention-getter: Every day in America millions of people are being poisoned, and you could very well be among them.

II. Thesis Statement: Concerns for water fluoridation stem from the toxicity of fluoride, the dangers fluoride pose to the body, and equal declining tooth decay seen for fluoridated and non-fluoridated countries.

III. Credibility Statement: It is fact that we all consume fluoridated water regularly; whether it’s through water directly, food, or other beverages, we could very likely be putting ourselves at risk.

IV. Preview:

A. In reality, fluoride is a highly toxic nuclear waste byproduct that comes from phosphate fertilizer manufacturing (Main 2013).

B. Many researchers

and doctors believe fluoridation can be very harmful to the body in various ways.
C. There is no discernable difference between tooth decay in the minority of countries that fluoridate their water and the majority of countries that do not.
[Transition to Body: All three of these concerns should not be taken lightly, so let’s break each one down more thoroughly.]

Body:
I.

First Main point: Fluoride is a highly toxic element.

A. Sub-point #1: Currently, the primary source of fluoride for the majority of public water supplies is fluorosilicic acid. This is a byproduct of phosphate fertilizer manufacturing (Main 2013).

1. Sub-Sub-point: Promoters like to say it’s a nutrient, when scientifically it has never been classified as a nutrient because it is a very powerful toxin.

B. Sub-point #2: Fluoridation advocators often say that nature thought of fluoride first in the fact that it’s naturally occurring. However, there are a lot of toxic substances that occur at naturally high levels, such as arsenic. This does not mean they are safe.

1. Sub-Sub-point: The main fluoride chemical that is added to water is not what most people would call a naturally occurring compound. It is a corrosive acid captured in the air pollution control devices of the phosphate fertilizer industry.

2. Sub-Sub-point: Christopher Bryson states, “Fluoride is known to be one of the most toxic chemicals in the world.” (2004).

[Transition: Since fact states that fluoride is a toxin, we should easily be able to reach the conclusion that it most likely causes damaging effects to the

body.]
II. Second Main Point: Many extremely qualified doctors and researchers have come to such a conclusion: fluoride can indeed be extremely harmful to the body.
A. Sub-point #1: Many recent studies have shown that fluoridation no doubt damages health.
1. Sub-Sub-Point: In 2006, Dr. John Doull, a well-known toxicologist was the leader of a committee at the NAS that published a comprehensive 500 page review of fluorides toxicity. The report concluded that fluoride is an endocrine disruptor, and can affect many things in the body such as: the bones, brain, thyroid gland, pineal gland, and blood sugar levels.
2. Sub-Sub-point: Fluoride most certainly affects many tissues in the body besides teeth.
B. Sub-point #2: Reviews of literature done by the US Environmental Protection Agency say that, fluoride is the amongst the 100 chemicals listed where there is substantial evidence of developmental neurotoxicity (Connett 2012).
1. Sub-Sub-point: According to the National Research Council (2006), “it is apparent that fluorides have the ability to interfere with the functions of the brain” (Connett 2012).
2. Sub-Sub-point: Over 100 animal experiments have taken place that show evidence of fluoride accumulation in the brain damaging, as well as altering mental behavior, and impacting learning.
3. Sub-Sub-point: Research results represented a high consistency between fluoride exposure and reduced IQ.
4. Sub-Sub-point: Dr. Connett examines the shift of the IQ curve and it is quite disturbing to find that the number of geniuses is halved and the amount of mentally disabled doubles. Dr. Connett continues to say, “This is serious folks, risking lowering the brain power of your population, all that for a small amount of tooth decay, which can be handled other ways”.
C. Sub-point #3: According to a recent national survey done by the Center of Disease Control, 40% of American teens show signs of fluoride overexposure, or dental fluorosis, and in some areas with high levels of fluoride the numbers can rise up to 80%.
1. Sub-Sub-point: Dental fluorosis is the first outward sign of fluoride poisoning.

[Transition: So why are we taking all these risks just for our teeth and a little tooth decay, when topical use is all we need? ]

III. Third main point: Water fluoridation in not what causes less tooth decay.
A. Sub-point #1: It is now widely recognized that teeth benefit from fluoride topically.
1. Sub-Sub-point: We know now that fluoride provides little to no benefit being swallowed.
2. Sub-Sub-point: The benefit of fluoride comes from the topical contact to the teeth, like using toothpaste with fluoride in it.
B. Sub-point #2: According to the World Health Organization, fluoridated countries do not have less tooth decay than non-fluoridated countries.
1. Sub-Sub-point: It is often claimed that fluoridated water is the reason the US has seen a decline in tooth decay in the past 60 years, however this same decline in tooth decay has occurred in all developed countries, most of which have never added any fluoride to there water. Therefore it can be concluded that fluoridation was not the driving force.
2. Sub-Sub-point: Instead, officials say this decline is due to improved ways of living, and using toothpaste with fluoride in it.
3. Sub-Sub-point: When water fluoridation first began there was no toothpaste that contained fluoride, now you nearly can’t find one without it .

(Transition: If swallowing fluoride has no positive effects, and the toxin causes harm to crucial tissues why does the US continue to partake in such a widely spread dangerous activity.)

Conclusion
I. Summary statement: Fluoridation has been accepted for 50 plus years, this is why many today refuse to believe in the negative effects that this toxic fluoride causes with no real benefits. After extensive research it is unfortunately obvious that water fluoridation is an unsafe practice based on outdated and obsolete research.
A. First main point: Fluoride, despite what some may think, is chemically a dangerous toxin.
B. Second main point: Studies have shown fluoridation to have a variety of dangerous side effects damaging major tissues in the body.
C. Third main point: Research has also shown that fluoridated countries are no better off then non-fluoridated countries. Due to the fact that the benefits of fluoride, reduction in tooth decay, happens topically no from ingestion (Doull 2009).
II. Clincher: So next time you’re brushing your teeth, remember there’s a reason we spit it out in the sink and do not ingest it.

Works Cited

“Basic Information about Fluoride in Drinking Water.” United States Environmental Protection Aganecy, 2013. Web. 15 Sep. 2013.
Bryson, C. (2004, June 17). How a nuclear waste byproduct made its way into the nation’s drinking water. In Democracy Now, Retrieved November 13, 2013.
“Community Water Fluoridation.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2013. Web. 15 Sep. 2013.
Connett, Paul. “The Arizona Fluoride Debate.” Phoenix College. Bullpitt Auditorium, Phoenix, AZ. 5 Sep. 2012.
Dembestin, Pahn. “Fluoridation.” Scientific American Magazine. n.p., 16 Dec. 2008. Web.
Doull, John. Interview of Scientific American. National Research Council. Web. 17 Oct. 2009.
Main, Douglas. “EPA Rejects Petition to Change Fluoride Source in US Drinking Water.” Livescience., 16 Aug. 2013. Web. 16 Sep. 2013.