A recent study of low-income African-American adults and teenagers, 14 years old and over, living in Detroit, Michigan, where fluoride is added to the cities drinking water found that 83% of this populations has severe tooth decay. They also had diets high in sugars and fats and low in fruits and vegetables.

The research team wrote that the “The most frequently reported food on a daily basis was tap water.” So, even though fluoridated water is the most consumed item, cavities are extensive when diets are poor. The second and third place foods were soft drinks and potato chips.

Detroit’s toddlers were also suffering in alarming proportions. Almost all of Detroit’s 5 year olds have cavities and for most, they go unfilled.

“Soda and chips are a cheap and accessible belly-filling meal,” says lawyer Paul Beeber, President, New York State Coalition Opposed to Fluoridation. “Fluoridation delivers only risks to poorly-fed Americans without any benefits,” says Beeber.

Low-Income Americans are often priced out of healthy eating and therefore may be suffering from the opposite effect intended by fluoridated water.

Further evidence that fluoridation fails:

- In Illinois, where fluoridation is state-mandated for cities and towns, 70% of Spanish-speaking-only and where only 50% of English-speaking-only third-graders have cavities.

- In New York State, when looking at all counties, cavity rates are not lower in fluoridated counties.

- A federal government study shows that low-income children’s primary tooth decay has spiked upwards. Non-poor children’s primary decay rates were stable .

“It’s possible that those who drink free fluoridated tap water may actually have more cavities,” says Beeber. Beeber also says that, “Recent media reports blaming bottled water for cavity increases are unscientific, illogical and deceptive.”

Over 1/3 of all U.S. school children show signs of dental fluorosis (discolored and/or pitted teeth due to fluoride). The excess fluoride leads to increased decay in their teeth.

“Fluoride is ineffective in non-healthy eaters and of no benefit to healthy eaters,” says Beeber.