Water Fluoridation Essay

773 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Public health around the world

Water Fluoridation
‘Water fluoridation (noun): the addition of fluorides to a public water supply as a public health measure to reduce the incidence of dental caries’. –MedicalDictionary1
As the above definition suggests, water fluoridation is the process by which municipal water supplies are treated with fluoride based elements as a counter-measure to dental issues. This has become a health and social issue; it is a form of ‘mass medicine’ that has found to be the cause of a variety of health concerns.
Chemistry:
Fluorine is added to form concentrations of below 1 part per million (to result in safe levels) in water. This fluorine is supplied from 3 primary chemicals; Sodium Fluoride (NaF), Fluorosilicic Acid (H2SiF6) and Sodium Fluorosilicate (Na2SiF6). These compounds dissociate in water to produce Fluorine ions by the following reactions:
1) SiF62-(s) + Aq. → SiF62-(aq.) Fluorosilicate ions then react further to produce;
SiF62− + 2H2O → 6F− + SiO2 + 4H+ 2
2) NaF(s) + Aq. → Na+(aq.) + F-(aq.) (all sodium salts are soluble)
Depending on where the fluoride is applied, it can cause different effects. A M Helmenstine states that, when applied directly to teeth, ‘Fluoride [interacts] with hydroxyapatite to form a stronger compound that is less-susceptible to acid attack’ 3. The following is an extract from ScienceLine explaining how the fluoride prevents tooth decay. However, on the other hand, if fluorine is digested it has the potential to form hazardous compounds, in particular Hydrofluoric Acid (HF). An example of this is seen below, in a reaction that Sodium Fluoride partakes in with naturally occurring Hydrochloric Acid in the stomach;
NaF + HCl → HF + NaCl
This acid is known for being highly corrosive and toxic. Furthermo...

... middle of paper ...

...s are dangerous and toxic. Despite the precaution taken in supplementing these chemicals into water, there still exists the probability that these hazardous chemicals will be reproduced by reactions with bodily fluids in areas where they may cause harm to the individual. The production of these chemicals is outlined in the previous section on Chemistry.
Future and Conclusion
Ultimately, water fluoridation is not a necessary treatment. Firstly, the benefits can be reaped through direct application in dental products. Fluorides are not consumed through this method, and thereby cause minimal, if any, damage to systems in the body. On the other hand, fluoride in water is digested and allowed to impact the body in detrimental ways. Due to the lack of benefits and ethical and health reasons, I personally believe that the process will be removed altogether in the future.

Show More
Related

  • Persuasive Speech Outline On Fluoride

    1221 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • 4-Methylcyclohexene Lab Report

    480 Words  | 1 Pages

    Saturated sodium chloride solution, also known as brine solution, is used to wash the distillate mixture. The distillate mixture is the phosphoric acid the co-distilled with the product. The brine solution also removes most of the water from the 4-methylcyclohexane layer. When six drops of 4-methylcyclohexene were added with two

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of Fluoridation Of Water

    1754 Words  | 4 Pages

    My first argument for the fluoridation of water is that everyone in society should have equal opportunities for dental health improvements; water fluoridation achieves this as it promotes equity within society by making increased fluoride accessible to everyone. The principle of equity aims to ensure resources within society are distributed in a way that results in everyone their minimum requirements met (Reid & Robson, 2007). Public water fluoridation therefore creates equity for dental health improvements by making some level of preventative care available to everyone (Awofeso, 2012). This builds on the idea...

    Read More

  • Persuasive Speech Against Fluoride

    905 Words  | 2 Pages

    Fluoride is the only substance added to water that doesn’t affect the water itself but the person consuming the water- fluoride is a medical treatment. The same NHS website that boasts the marvellous pros of the UK’s fluoridation scheme also explicitly explains ‘Consent is required from a patient regardless of the intervention – from a physical examination to organ donation’ on a page regarding the legalities of medical consent. It is required by law that all patients must be aware and accepting of the treatment that they receive therefore feeding us a medicine (if it can even be called that) that we as society in many cases, know very little about is highly illegal and dangerous for everyone involved. Today doctors who give patients treatment without their consent face legal procedures and punishments so the fact that this practice goes on everyday under our noses with no repercussion is astonishing and shouldn’t happen just because the perpetrator (the government) is more powerful than a

    Read More

  • Dental Caries: The Life's Disease, By Rugg-Gunn

    821 Words  | 2 Pages

    I would like to push back on the claim that a cavity is a disease, but I did find it interesting that fluoride fights against dental caries and I enjoyed that my attention was held up with the culprit of decay comes from sugar and bacteria from plaque.

    Read More

  • The Conspiracy of Water Fluoridation

    2840 Words  | 6 Pages

    Few object to the therapeutic use of fluoride to stop tooth decay, but fluoridation, the addition of fluoride to the public water supply, can spark avid controversy. Most dentists, medical groups, and government officials argue that fluoridation is a cheap and risk-free venture that doubles cavity prevention. In contrast, a small minority of dentists and conservative political groups argue that fluoride is a hazardous, poisonous substance that should not be consumed. Some antifluoridationists even claim that fluoridation is an untrustworthy form of socialized medicine. But rather than just attacking fluoridation as socialized medicine, opponents originally claimed that it was a conspiracy to poison or brainwash Americans through the water supply. This theory arose in the 1940s when the scientific community refused to endorse or reject fluoridation, thus allowing the debate to expand into the social sphere. While fluoridation opposition may be subconsciously inspired by naturalism, the social development of fluoridation into a Communist or fascist conspiracy resulted from a conscious effort by conservatives to suppress a growing government.

    Read More

  • Fluoride Argumentative Essay

    920 Words  | 2 Pages

    Fluoride is being overused in the United States and there needs to be a stop to it. With all the problems it is causing, the limit being used should be something everyone should worry about. Many think fluoride is good for you because it whitens your teeth, and dentist offer it every time you go there, but clearly it is not. Fluoride does help with a lot of things like mottling of teeth and whitening teeth, but health problems are occurring, and it needs to come to a stop. Department of Health and Human Services have recommended a level of 0.7 milligrams per liter as a optimal for fluoride in drinking water throughout the United States. (State of Washington) Clearly, they are using more than normal that is it starting to cause a lot of health problems. To finalize, fluoride is being overused in the US, and there needs to be a stop to

    Read More

  • Healthcare: Dental Carries

    1163 Words  | 3 Pages

    Dental carries is one of the most common oral diseases in the world, and it often goes untreated due to the expense of treatment. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) 60 to 90 percent of school aged children throughout the world suffer from untreated dental carries. Ethnic minorities, the poor, the elderly, and those who are mentally and/or physically disabled are other disparities who also suffer from untreated dental caries (Alcorn & Rogo; 2012). Looking for a way to solve the epidemic of dental caries by providing affordable treatment, silver diamine fluoride (SDF), also known as the “silver fluoride bullet,” was created. Claiming to be both affordable and effective, SDF could be the answer to low cost carries treatment the world has been searching for. The purpose of this paper is to research the efficacy of silver diamine fluoride in comparison to sodium fluoride varnish. Our PICO question is: In a patient with dentinal caries, will the use of silver diamine fluoride compared to sodium fluoride varnish, be more effective at arresting caries?

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay On Fluoride

    978 Words  | 2 Pages

    Fluoride is considered a drug by the Food and Drug Administration therefore a type of mediation which is why I made the claim of mass medication, which I believe is unethical to put in a public goods such as water. That is one of the reason other developed nations like Europe decided to stop this practice (FluorideAlert). Fluoride is already found in items such as toothpaste and other like items, putting it in the water just farther leads to over dosing the set limit of fluoride before the FDA declares it unsafe which is 2.4mg per liter of water (FluorideAlert). It can be clearly proven that this limits are surpassed daily for the average person and one sign is that more children are being affected by dental fluorosis, a condition that causes white or brown discoloration or spots on the enamel, or tooth surface that only occurs from to much fluoride and this should not be much of surprise if you include the fact that on top of water having anywhere from 0.7-1.4mg of fluoride, toothpaste is 94% fluoride, processed beverages also contain it, and many other products we would not think of like tea. While its just considered more of a cosmetic issue, it is also an indictor or red flag of over exposure on the rest of the

    Read More

  • Fluoridating Water Essay

    1361 Words  | 3 Pages

    Not Fluoridating Water People around the world wake up each morning and brush their teeth with toothpaste, not knowing what's in it. Fluoride is being used in things that shouldn’t be, like water. Water is H2O that people around the world drink constantly. Some drink more than others, like athlete’s, manual laborer’s, diabetic’s, and people with kidney disease who are exposed to more fluoride than other’s (12 Reasons). All the other water treatment chemicals are added to improve the water for safe drinking, but fluoride does not.

    Read More

  • The Need for Dental Insurance

    1495 Words  | 3 Pages

    Another preventive way to help children build stronger teeth is water fluoridation prevents 2/3rd of children from them not getting cavities. (Evans par. 6) Fluoridation benefits children and let alone fifty percent of the dental bills were cut in price. (Evans par.6) The future is looking bright for the children getting better dental and oral health services. Approximately 8.7 million children are expected to gain some form of dental benefits by 2018. (Evans par.8) Regular preventive dental care, such as cleaning and regularly brushing and flossing, improve the overall health and brightens up your life. (Wallace par.1) Keeping up on the regular cleaning at the dental office, which is once every six months, helps out tremendously but some people need more then twice a year. (Payne par.5)

    Read More

  • Summary: Why Choose Our Alma, AR Dental Practice

    1583 Words  | 4 Pages

    Fluoride is responsible for helping the enamel on your teeth stay strong and healthy. We can offer fluoride treatments and varnishes to help strengthen your teeth. Our fluoride products are designed to help prevent cavities and keep your teeth as healthy as possible.

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On Fluoridating Water

    987 Words  | 2 Pages

    People around the world wake up each morning and brush their teeth with toothpaste, not knowing what's in it. Fluoride is being used in thing’s that shouldn't be, like water. Water is H2O that people around the drink constantly. Some drink more than others, like athlete’s, manual laborer’s, diabetic’s, and people with kidney disease which are exposed to more fluoride than other’s (12 Reasons). All the other water treatment chemicals are added to improve the water for safe drinking, but fluoride does not. How are we supposed to control how much fluoride goes into our bodies’? It’s impossible to control the dose each person receives because each person drinks different amounts of water. Portland Oregon made a agreeable decision to reject the plan to fluoridate drinking water supplies because fluoride is a hazardous, cancer-causing chemical that should not be added to water supplies that serve an entire city.

    Read More

  • Fluoride Essay

    1294 Words  | 3 Pages

    Fluoride is the 13th most abundant element in the earth’s crust and is naturally found in soil, water, foods, and several minerals, such as fluorapatite and fluorite (Nordqvist 1). Dentists use higher levels of fluoride in the forms of gel, foam, or varnish that can be applied to the teeth for cleaning (Dental 1). Then the fluoride is directly apply to teeth through fluoridated toothpaste and mouth rinses is at a lower level for those who use it for personal use (Dental 1).

    Read More

  • Pros And Cons Of Fluoridation

    280 Words  | 1 Pages

    Fluoridated drinking water guards your teeth against cavities and tooth decay. The community water systems that serve the majority of American households, except Portland OR, adjust the level by adding fluoride to achieve the right amount to reduce those dental problems. Fluoridation is one of the reasons why citizens in these households no longer need dentures like they use to in the past when Fluoridation was not popular.

    Read More

More about Water Fluoridation Essay

Open Document