It's been quite interesting following the information on this thread. I had no idea where the fluoride added to water supplies came from.

About thirty years ago, I developed some kind of reaction to fluoride toothpaste, where I began experience multiple painful mouth ulcers. Initially, I put this down to something viral because the condition waxed and waned - until I decided that maybe it was connected to fluoride. So I started using non-fluoridated toothpaste and the ulcer eruption never reappeared.

We live in a area without fluoridated water. My son who is eleven also uses the non-fluoridated toothpaste. He doesn't eat many lollies or drink sweet drinks and he has no cavities and strong teeth

Appreciated the explanation, Dan Germouse... and as for "...genius. " thanks, well spotted. My attempts at irony amuse me in making a point even at the cost of missing the mark for some, occassionally.

""Do we have sufficient information to develop an informed opinion? If we don't, should we really guzzle down a chemical most of us don't understand?"

Doesn't seem like we have sufficient information to write an article... isn't it a molecule, not a chemical?"

That chemical we're guzzling down being...? What?

Dihydrogen monoxide? Molecules of water? Or compounds including fluorides?

I remain critical of an article, by someone completing 'a Master of Public Health', which presents an issue that 'compounds' (geddit?) the confusion.

"Even with the recent changes in Queensland that will allow the fluoridation debate to occur at a local level, at the end of the day, someone will have the power to make a call on the behalf of a community and decide what's best for their health."

Yes. That is sort of the idea behind the concept of 'public health'.

"Whether they actually know what they're on about is anybody's guess."

Who? The local level community, 'someone' or sensitive individuals such as yourself.

Well Tony, must tell you I don't need a helmet just a water proof skin and a thick one to stop fluoride soaking through the largest organ of our body. As for effects non poisoned people can see the 1000 yard stare long time users get. Did you know beer is made with fluoride free water because it spoils the brew. Horses get sick on fluoride treated water because they drink a large amount re body weight. Water your vegie patch, tie up the few minerals left in the soil, slowly get sick then go down the med. track feeding the mega drug systems on the way and damaging the pineal gland in our heads. What a good idea,I'm 72 and take nothing and so far don't know a doctor but would drink from a puddle or pond before town water.

Old Bob, what makes you say that beer is made with fluoride free water? That's not the information I have.

The following quotes are from the 2006 US National Research Council report on fluoride in drinking water.
p 48/9 "Other groups of people [apart from habitual tea drinkers] who are expected to have exposures higher than those calculated here include infants given fluoride toothpaste before age 1, anyone who uses toothpaste more than twice per day or who swallows excessive amounts of toothpaste, children inappropriately given fluoride supplements in a fluoridated area, children in an area with high fluoride concentrations in soil, and children with pica who consume large amounts of soil."
p 52 Table 2-12 Total estimated (average) chronic inorganic fluoride exposure (mg/kg/day) from all sources for non-nursing infants below the age of one year is 0.100 for a modeled water intake, and 0.115 for the EPA default water intake, with a fluoride concentration in drinking water of 1 mg/L (i.e. 1 ppm).
p 69 Table 2-18 lists a value of 0.10 mg/kg/day as a "Tolerable upper intake" for ages 0-8.

News from Portland, Oregon where they fighting against the hazardous waste pollution of their water supplies (and hence food chain). These people have united and said we don't want potent neurotoxins in our water supplies:-

Here is a document with some of the latest info on the fight against fluoridation/pollution from Portland, oregon:-

Link to Portland, Oregon No to Fluoridation Argument 26-151_a01-a41 (85 pages)

http://web.multco.us/sites/default/files/elections/documents/26-151_a01-a41.pdf

And I say again, anyone who believes it is ok and safe and effective to consume (eat, drink & bathe in) dangerously corrosive hazardous waste pollutants fluorosilicic acid/silicofluorides and co-contaminants of lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, etc., and also added to that toxic, neurotoxic and carcinogenic mix is aluminium sulphate ............is not thinking rationally. Think of the cumulative effects over months, years, decades. We have now alzheimer's disease crisis, kidney disease crisis, dental crisis,mental health crisis, chronic diseases... and for what? because dentists say it is safe and effective - no way is it safe or effective. Get rid of it now for all our sakes. Kidney disease so bad now, people being offered by Fed. Health Minister to be paid (living donors) to donate a kidney and part of their liver. Prevent any potential harm to anyone else by invoking the Precautionary Principle, First Do No Harm, the Health and Safety of the population comes above all else.

The only answer EVER was to provide access to affordable dental health care services for all the population, not the disposal of hazardous waste pollutants and co-contaminants of lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, etc.,  from phosphate fertiliser industries  (and aluminium smelting industries) (known as water fluoridation, plus aluminium sulphate)  into our drinking water supplies and hence also contaminating our food chain and using the populations' kidneys as toxic waste disposal/filtration units. 

Never ceases to amaze how zealots clump around conspiracy theories like platelets around a cut and manage to collectively exclude any possibility of rationality penetrating their fevered imaginings. I suppose it's a form of protective response - for some people reason is obviously dangerous to their mental health, so go to it.

I'll go get a glass of fluoridated water and sit back to watch the show.