The EPA recommends reducing flouridation of water. See below report and links for details. What is your opinion on flouridation?
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Makuch, Joseph" <
Joseph.Makuch@ars.usda.gov>
Date: Jan 7, 2011 12:08 PM
Subject: [ENVIRO-NEWS] EPA and HHS Announce New Scientific Assessments and Actions on Fluoride
To: <
Enviro-News@ars.usda.gov>
From: U.S. EPA [mailto:
usaepa@govdelivery.com]
Sent: Friday, January 07, 2011 11:29 AM
Subject: Water News Release (HQ): EPA and HHS Announce New Scientific
Assessments and Actions on Fluoride
CONTACTS:
HHS Office of the Assistant
Secretary for Health (OASH)--
Public Affairs
ashmedia@hhs.gov 202-205-0143
EPA
Jalil Isa (Media Inquiries Only)
isa.jalil@epa.gov 202-564-3226
202-564-4355
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 7, 2010
EPA and HHS Announce New Scientific Assessments and Actions on Fluoride
Agencies working together to maintain benefits of preventing tooth decay
while preventing excessive exposure
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today are announcing
important steps to ensure that standards and guidelines on fluoride in
drinking water continue to provide the maximum protection to the
American people to support good dental health, especially in children.
HHS is proposing that the recommended level of fluoride in drinking
water can be set at the lowest end of the current optimal range to
prevent tooth decay, and EPA is initiating review of the maximum amount
of fluoride allowed in drinking water.
These actions will maximize the health benefits of water fluoridation,
an important tool in the prevention of tooth decay while reducing the
possibility of children receiving too much fluoride. The Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention named the fluoridation of drinking water
one of the 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century.
"One of water fluoridation's biggest advantages is that it benefits all
residents of a community-at home, work, school, or play," said HHS
Assistant Secretary for Health Howard K. Koh, MD, MPH. "Today's
announcement is part of our ongoing support of appropriate fluoridation
for community water systems, and its effectiveness in preventing tooth
decay throughout one's lifetime."
"Today both HHS and EPA are making announcements on fluoride based on
the most up to date scientific data," said EPA Assistant Administrator
for the Office of Water Peter Silva. "EPA's new analysis will help us
make sure that people benefit from tooth decay prevention while at the
same time avoiding the unwanted health effects from too much fluoride."
HHS and EPA reached an understanding of the latest science on fluoride
and its effect on tooth decay prevention, and the development of dental
fluorosis that may occur with excess fluoride consumption during the
tooth forming years, age 8 and younger. Dental fluorosis in the United
States appears mostly in the very mild or mild form - as barely visible
lacy white markings or spots on the enamel. The severe form of dental
fluorosis, with staining and pitting of the tooth surface, is rare in
the United States.
There are several reasons for the changes seen over time, including that
Americans have access to more sources of fluoride than they did when
water fluoridation was first introduced in the United States in the
1940s. Water is now one of several sources of fluoride. Other common
sources include dental products such as toothpaste and mouth rinses,
prescription fluoride supplements, and fluoride applied by dental
professionals. Water fluoridation and fluoride toothpaste are largely
responsible for the significant decline in tooth decay in the U.S. over
the past several decades.
HHS' proposed recommendation of 0.7 milligrams of fluoride per liter of
water replaces the current recommended range of 0.7 to 1.2 milligrams.
This updated recommendation is based on recent EPA and HHS scientific
assessments to balance the benefits of preventing tooth decay while
limiting any unwanted health effects. These scientific assessments will
also guide EPA in making a determination of whether to lower the maximum
amount of fluoride allowed in drinking water, which is set to prevent
adverse health effects.
The new EPA assessments of fluoride were undertaken in response to
findings of the National Academies of Science (NAS). At EPA's request,
NAS reviewed new data on fluoride in 2006 and issued a report
recommending that EPA update its health and exposure assessments to take
into account bone and dental effects and to consider all sources of
fluoride. In addition to EPA's new assessments and the NAS report, HHS
also considered current levels of tooth decay and dental fluorosis and
fluid consumption across the United States.
Comments regarding the EPA documents, Fluoride: Dose-Response Analysis
For Non-cancer Effects and Fluoride: Exposure and Relative Source
Contribution Analysis should be sent to EPA at
FluorideScience@epa.gov.
The documents can be found at
http://water.epa.gov/action/advisories/drinking/fluoride_index.cfm The notice of the proposed recommendation will be published in the
Federal Register soon and HHS will accept comments from the public and
stakeholders on the proposed recommendation for 30 days at
CWFcomments@cdc.gov. HHS is expecting to publish final guidance for
community water fluoridation by spring 2011. You may view a
prepublication version of the proposed recommendation at:
http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2011pres/01/pre_pub_frn_fluoride.html.
More information about the national drinking water regulations for
fluoride:
http://water.epa.gov/drink/contaminants/basicinformation/fluoride.cfm Q&A's on latest EPA actions on fluoride:
http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/rulesregs/regulatingcontaminants/sixyearre
view/upload/2011_Fluoride_QuestionsAnswers.pdf [or
http://tinyurl.com/2evq4qo ]
More information on EPA's fluoride assessment and to comment:
http://water.epa.gov/action/advisories/drinking/fluoride_index.cfm More information about community water fluoridation, information on
tooth decay prevention and dental fluorosis:
http://www.cdc.gov/fluoridation.
[deletions]
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