Research from the pharmaceutical company Sepracor indicates that fluoridated toothpaste may cause or contribute to periodontal bone loss.  This finding is serious because periodontal bone loss is the #1 cause of tooth loss among U.S.adults.  According to the scientists at Sepracor who conducted the study:

“We have found that fluoride, in the concentrated range in which it is employed for the prevention of dental cavities, stimulates the production of prostaglandins and thereby exacerbates the inflammatory response in gingivitis and periodontitis....Thus, the inclusion of fluoride in toothpastes and mouthwashes for the purposes of inhibiting the development of cavities may, at the same time, accelerate the process of chronic, destructive periodontitis.”

Young children, who don’t have well developed swallowing reflexes, often swallow a lot of toothpaste when brushing, which can cause disfiguring dental fluorosis and contribute greatly to total system intake.  Also, even when the toothpaste is not swallowed, the fluoride may cross the gum membrane and enter the bloodstream. Fluoride is not “essential” for the development of healthy teeth.  According to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS 1989; NRC 1993), fluoride is not an essential nutrient.  This means that no human disease – including tooth decay – will result from a  “deficiency” of fluoride.  Thus, unlike real nutrients like calcium and magnesium, the human body does not need fluoride for any physiological process. 

Fluoride has insidious effects on biological systems.  It has long been known as a “general protoplasmic poison” due to its potent ability to inhibit enzymes.  Damage to the enzymes can present a wide range of systemic dysfunctions in the body. More recently, fluoride has been found to activate and interfere with “G-proteins”– which could present multiple complex problems in human health, since G-proteins play a vital role in the functioning of hormones and neurotransmitters.