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TO THE EDITOR:

¹ Medical Director Children’s Dental Research Society 1976 Ocean Ridge Circle Vero Beach, FL 32963

In November, 1999, nutritionists at the Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine, released, in its final form, their latest Dietary Reference Intakes book, with fluoride (F) garnering 25 pages mainly as an essential pre-eruptive nutrient (F & N Board, 1997). In 2001, dentists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) presented a far different view of F (CDC, 2001). This dental report mainly conforms to the revealed beliefs of a F cult originating in northern Europe, where some of the small countries are anti-water fluoridation by national law (Featherstone, 2000; Glenn, 2000). Water fluoridation is presented as a homeopathically dilute topical, F supplements have one page, mostly denigrating efficacy, while five pages extol patentable topicals. Only F in the oral environment is efficacious, since F in the surface/subsurface enamel has been decreed chemically inert in Denmark. Since all this is antithetical to the evidence-based knowledge of the literature, it is referenced by citing opinion articles written by fellow cultists. European delusion mated to American bottom-line mentality, capitalism without a conscience, has spawned an ugly and illegitimate conceptus. America’s best-known F resource person removed his name from the CDC report. The Children’s Dental Research Society, an AADR Institutional Section member, is sufficiently concerned about this threat to the health of our children that it offers to fund a symposium on F at the next AADR meeting. We are not unmindful of the national security implications of having the CDC so easily subverted by a foreign cult, but agree that that aspect belongs in a different forum.

REFERENCES

Featherstone JDB (2000). Author’s response. J Am Dent Assoc 131:1676–1678.

Fluoride Recommendations Work Group, CDC (2001). Recommendations for using fluoride to prevent and control dental caries in the United States. MMWR August 17, 2001/50 (RR14). Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office.

Food & Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine (1997). Dietary reference intakes for calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, vitamin D, and fluoride. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, pp. 288-313.

Glenn FB (2000). Preemptive effect of fluoride. J Am Dent Assoc 131:1674–1676.

THE CDC REPLIES:

² Director, Division of Oral Health National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Atlanta, GA 30341

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published "Recommendations for Using Fluoride to Prevent and Control Dental Caries in the United States" in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) on August 17, 2001. This report represents the consensus conclusions of an eleven-member work group with further review by an additional 23 specialists, all of whom are clearly identified in the report. The report used an evidence-based approach for documenting the rationale for its conclusions. This report specifically addressed the social, political, and environmental conditions in the United States, and is unequivocal in its endorsement of community water fluoridation as a safe, effective, and inexpensive way to prevent dental caries. It urged continuation of community water fluoridation and its adoption in additional US communities. The report also presented the science base for fluoride toothpaste, mouthrinses, dietary supplements, and professionally applied topicals, as well as current knowledge on the use of these products in various combinations. This report can be accessed on the CDC Web site at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5014a1.htm

REFERENCE

Recommendations for Using Fluoride to Prevent and Control Dental Caries in the United States (2001). Morbid Mortal Wkly Rep 50(No. RR-14).

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