Fluoride Bone Cancer

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Fluoride Exposure & Effects

Topics of Fluoride Exposure

Fluoride exposure has created controversial health concerns in the United States. For years, doctors and dentists have alleged that fluoride was actually a benefit to health, promoting strong, cavity free teeth. However, studies have suggested that the health risks associated with fluoride exposure may in fact outweigh the benefits. Fluoride exposure has been linked to the development of bone cancer - including osteosarcoma in children - among other serious health complications.

Fluoride is commonly found in or added to numerous consumer products, including tap water, toothpaste, juices, teas, wines, beers, infant formula, sodas, seafood, processed chicken, cigarettes, cereal, anesthetics and Teflon pans. Doctors and dentists have long recommended fluoride exposure for the prevention of tooth caries such as cavities and decay. Accordingly, many municipalities artificially fluoridate their public water supply. Fluoridated water is the greatest source of exposure to fluoride for children.

The federal government first set limits on the amount of fluoride in tap water in 1945. The recommended or optimum level for artificial fluoridation of drinking water was then set at 1 ppm or 1mg/L and remains at that level today. In the 1980s, the United States Environmental Protection Agency revisited the recommendations and raised the maximum contaminant level (or maximum amount of fluoride allowed in water and still considered safe) to 4ppm. Municipalities can independently determine whether to fluoridate their water supplies but cannot exceed the levels set by the federal government. Approximately 60% of all public water is or has been fluoridated.

Recent studies suggest a strong correlation between childhood fluoride exposure and the development of osteosarcoma in young boys. Studies performed by the United States National Toxicology Program and Harvard University have determined that there is biological and physical evidence relating the development of osteosarcoma cancer to children experiencing fluoride exposure in the bone formative years .

Fluoride is a known mutagen, particularly where it is found in concentrated amounts. In the body, fluoride accumulation occurs primarily in the bones, particularly during the developmental years. There, fluoride artificially stimulates bone cell growth, generally in long bones such as the legs and arms, leading to cancerous growths. Osteosarcoma in children, particularly young boys exposed during the bone growth spurt years of five to ten, has been specifically associated with the effects of fluoride exposure.

Osteosarcoma cancer is characterized by the growth of a cancerous tumor in the bone. The cancer generally occurs in the legs or arms and may cause pain and swelling, broken bones, or a visible lump. Treatment of osteosarcoma, like other cancers, may include a course of chemotherapy and radiation but osteosarcoma is not particularly responsive to radiation. Surgery, and sometimes amputation, is frequently required to treat a patient with osteosarcoma.

In June 2005, the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit organization in Washington, D.C., noted the following:

The overall weight of the evidence strongly supports the conclusion that exposure to fluoride in tap water during the mid-childhood growth spurt between ages 5 and 10 increases the incidence of osteosarcoma in boys ages 10 through 19.

Biologically, the link between fluoride in tap water and bone cancer in boys is highly plausible. Fifty percent of ingested fluoride is deposited in bones, and fluoride is a mitogen that stimulates bone growth in the growing ends of the bones where the osteosarcoma occurs. Fluoride is also a confirmed mutagenic agent in humans, which suggests that fluoride can cause genetic damage in bone cells where it is actively deposited, in this case precisely where the osteosarcoma arises. Animal studies add further credence to the potential link between fluoride and bone cancer in males. The only two animal cancer bioassays conducted with fluoride both show rare bone tumors, many of which were malignant, in male as opposed to female test animals. And finally, three high quality epidemiology studies each show a strong association between fluoride in tap water and osteosarcoma in boys.

Environmental Working Group, Letter to National Toxicology Program, June 6, 2005. EWG wrote to ask that fluoride be included in the National Toxicology Program''s Report on Carcinogens based on its ability to cause osteosarcoma.

Osteosarcoma is not the only serious side effect of fluoride. Bone cancer, bone pain and swelling, and fluorosis have all been associated with excessive fluoride exposure. The effects of fluoride can cause long term and irreversible health effects . Treatment for osteosarcoma and other fluoride induced health problems can be a long and expensive process resulting in physical, emotional and financial stress on the victim and the victim''s family.

Have you been injured by fluoride exposure?

If you or a loved one have been adversely affected by fluoride exposure, you may be entitled to compensation for your pain and suffering. Contact us today for a free consultation regarding your case. Our attorneys are experienced in dealing with cases of similar nature and are prepared to help ensure your legal rights.

Fluoride Bone Cancer Breaking News

"Fluoride in Water Threatens Bone Health"

Today, the National Academy of Sciences reported that fluoride in drinking water can cause severe damage to the teeth and bones. The study also indicates that federal standards fail to protect Americans from these serious risks.

The deliberate...

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