Re: Info about dentisy lobbying organizations
- From: Mark & Steven Bornfeld <bornfeldmung@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 14:35:12 GMT
Carl Banks wrote:
Hello,
I am seeking information about dental lobbying organizations in the
United States, so I can write them and express my displeasure of their
recent actions.
Apparently, dentists have been heavily lobbying many states and
localities to remove fluoride from drinking water, so as to ensure a
steady stream of patients with decaying teeth. (Naturally, dentists
deny that this is their Aim, but it's obvious that it is.) Now, I can
understand that Americans are less and less often seeking the services
of dentists thanks to fluorinated water, and that dentists are
increasingly finding themselves out of practice, but to deliberately
try to promote unhealthy tooth decay just to stay in business is
highly unethical, IMO.
Thank you.
(X-post to football group [!] removed)
Objections to fluoridation tend to engender 2 areas:
1) On clinical grounds, opponents to dental fluoridation say that its cavity-preventing qualities are exaggerated, and that high levels of fluoride are associated with dental and skeletal fluorosis, associated with cosmetic and potentially crippling side effects, as well as certain bone cancers.
2) On ethical grounds, that it constitutes forced medication.
The major dental organizations (chiefly the American Dental Association) endorse dental fluoridation. Most of the groups lobbying against fluoridation are NOT dental organizations. I do not doubt that there are some dentists among their members. However, I am sure that the vast majority of dentists and their organizations still support fluoridation overall. However, because of the ubiquity of fluoride in the environment, as well as accumulating clinical evidence that the primary mode by which fluoride prevents cavities is topical (this last is still somewhat at issue). As a result of this, there is an increasing appreciation that total fluoride intake from all sources may sometimes exceed recommended levels. For this reason, it is possible that specific recommendations regarding fluoride supplementation (whether through the water supply or through dietary supplements) may change based on accumulated clinical information.
The organization that has posted here with the political anti-fluoride agenda is known as NYSCOF.
http://www.orgsites.com/ny/nyscof/
I'm sure there are many other such organizations. With regard to this particular organization, they claim to consist of "physicians, dentists, legislators, lawyers, scientists, environmentalists and other professionals as well as mothers, fathers and others who contribute their efforts in a volunteer capacity to inform the public about fluoride’s/fluoridation’s harmful dental, systemic and cumulative effects." (from their website). However, they are somewhat secretive about the individuals actually involved, so I can't say if or how many dentists are involved.
Steve
--
Mark & Steven Bornfeld DDS
http://www.dentaltwins.com
Brooklyn, NY
718-258-5001
.
- Prev by Date: jobs
- Next by Date: Re: Consumers book on dentistry
- Previous by thread: See KOPP Implant System
- Next by thread: Re: Info about dentisy lobbying organizations
- Index(es):
Relevant Pages
|
