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THE directions on my children's Aquafresh Fluoride Protection toothpaste cautions parents: "Children under 6 years: To minimize swallowing, use a pea-sized amount and supervise brushing until good habits are established." It says that, if accidentally swallowed, one course of action is to "contact a poison control center immediately." Force-fed fluoride
is no remedyMy kids also use a fluoride rinse and receive regular fluoride treatments from their dentist, who advises against any "swallowing," whether accidental or intentional. As infants they took prescribed fluoride drops, whose dosage was carefully regulated.
In all of these cases, dentists stated the benefits of fluoride but carefully monitored its use. Why, then, would we force residents to consume fluoride every time they drink tap water?
Vegetables and fruits are good for you, but we don't compel parents to feed them to their children. Vitamin supplements are good, but we don't coercively administer them to public school students.
Some studies conclude that fluoride is beneficial and safe. Others report side effects that include weakened bones and dental fluorosis (staining or pitting of the teeth).
I am not opposed to fluoride treatments at the dentist's office, fluoride toothpaste or fluoride rinses. When administered properly, they are beneficial.
But I oppose forcing people to ingest fluoride in their drinking water, thus robbing them of their freedom to drink pure water as guaranteed by their counties.
Unlike fluoride drops prescribed by a pediatrician or dentist, there would be no appropriate dosage adjustments. Everyone would have to consume fluoride at the same concentration.
Should my 1-year-old baby consume the same level of fluoride as football star Russ Francis?
What about the elderly, such as my 74-year-old, 110-pound grandmother who may have to battle osteoporosis?
In Hawaii many of us consume more water per day than our mainland counterparts due to the tropical climate. Thus we would also be ingesting more fluoride if fluoridation occurred.
My own children drink more water because we don't want them drinking fruit juice or soda since the sugar content is bad for their teeth. This is common for many island families.
Some suggest that a water filter could take care of the concern. But why should Hawaii's families be forced to purchase such filtration systems for their homes after their tax dollars have placed fluoride in their drinking water?
What about the concern of human error? Government has never claimed to be infallible. Given this fact, what if there is a mistake regarding fluoride concentration?
How soon would families be notified if, for whatever reason, the level of fluoride became too high to safely consume? Would the government take responsibility, or immunize itself against lawsuits?
What of those who have allergic reactions or are hypersensitive to fluoride? Will the government go the extra mile to pay for their medical expenses, or merely disclaim responsibility?
HAWAII'S families should have the right to choose pure drinking water. Let's not use tax dollars to place an EPA-categorized "contaminant" in our drinking water. Don't force babies to drink water less pure than the water we grew up with.
Our state's rate of 3.9 cavities per child ages 5-9 is admittedly high. But focus on educating parents. We have fluoride toothpaste, fluoride rinses and fluoride treatments at our disposal. We can also eat fewer sweets, drink less soda and floss more frequently.
Something must be done, but forcing everyone to drink fluoride is not the solution.
Republican state Rep. David A. Pendleton is
minority floor leader and serves on the
House Public Safety Committee.