½Å°úÇÐ/öÇÐ
Ãʽɸ®ÇÐ/ÀáÀç´É·Â
UFO/½Å¹°¸®ÇÐ
¿ÀÄÃƼÁò/¹Ì½ºÅ͸®

°úÇÐÀû, ºñ°úÇÐÀû ÀÇÇÐ
µ¿¼­¾ç ´ëüÀÇÇÐ

âÁ¶·Ð/°úÇÐÀû »ç½Ç¼º
âÁ¶·Ð/öÇаú Á¤Ä¡

½ºÄÎƽ½º/±âŸ ÁÖÁ¦
KOPSA ¹Ú¹°°ü

 

´ëÁ߸Åü ¸ð´ÏÅ͸µ
Áú¹®°ú ´ä

Åä·Ð¹æ¹ý
Åä·Ð»ç·Ê

¿¬±¸È¸¿ø °Ô½ÃÆÇ
¿¬±¸À§¿ø °Ô½ÃÆÇ

 

°úÇÐÀû, ºñ°úÇÐÀû ÀÇÇÐ
   
  ¼öµ¾¹° ºÒ¼ÒÈ­, ¹Ì NRC ÃÖ±Ù ¿¬±¸ °á°ú °ËÅä(03/09/07 ÃÖÁ¾)
  ±Û¾´ÀÌ : kopsa     ³¯Â¥ : 01-01-01 11:58     Á¶È¸ : 5024    
¼öµ¾¹° ºÒ¼ÒÈ­, ¹Ì NRC ÃÖ±Ù ¿¬±¸ °á°ú °ËÅä

======================
2003³â 9¿ù 7ÀÏ Ãß°¡ÇÕ´Ï´Ù. Á¦¸ñÀ» ¾Æ·¡¿Í °°ÀÌ ¹Ù²ß´Ï´Ù.

¼öµ¾¹° ºÒ¼ÒÈ­, ¹Ì NRC ÃÖ±Ù ¿¬±¸ °á°ú °ËÅä

¼öµ¾¹° ºÒ¼ÒÈ­(ºÒÈ­¹° ÷°¡)¿¡ °üÇؼ­´Â <°úÇÐÀÇ »óº¸¼º ¿ø¸®>¿¡ ¿ä¾àÇÑ
¹Ù Àִµ¥, ±× ¼º°Ý»ó ÁֹΠÅõÇ¥¿¡ ÀÇÇØ ºÒ¼ÒÈ­ ¿©ºÎ¸¦ °áÁ¤ÇØ¾ß ÇÑ´Ù´Â
¿À·¡ Àü¿¡ ¾Æ·¡¿¡ °Ô½ÃÇÑ ±ÛÀÇ ¿äÁ¡À» ³Ö¾ú½À´Ï´Ù. ±×·±µ¥ ¼öµ¾¹° ºÒ¼ÒÈ­
¹®Á¦¿Íµµ °ü·ÃµÈ À½¿ë¼ö Áß ºÒÈ­¹° ³óµµ ±âÁØÀÌ ÃÖ±Ù ¹Ì Çмú¿ø ±¹¸³¿¬±¸
À§¿øȸ(NRC)¿¡¼­ °ËÅ並 ½ÃÀÛÇß´Ù´Â C&EN ±â»ç(August 25, 2003)¸¦ ÀÐ
°í ³»¿ëÀ» Á¤¸®Çؼ­ °Ô½ÃÇÕ´Ï´Ù.

1. ÇöÀç EPA ±âÁØ

¹Ì EPA(ȯ°æû)¿¡¼­´Â À½¿ë¼ö ÁßÀÇ ºÒÈ­¹° ³óµµ ±âÁØÀ» Á¤Çϴµ¥ ÇöÀç ±â
ÁØÀº ÃÖ´ë 4 mg/L(4ppm)¶ó°í ÇÕ´Ï´Ù. 1986³â¿¡ ±âÁØÀ» Á¤ÇÒ ¶§ 4 mg/L
±âÁػӸ¸ ¾Æ´Ï¶ó Á¦2ÀÇ 2 mg/L(2ppm)¸¦ ¼³Á¤Çߴµ¥ ÀÌ Á¦2 ±âÁØÀº À½¿ë
¼ö¿¡ ºÒÈ­¹°ÀÌ ÀÌ ±âÁØ¿¡ ´ÞÇϵµ·Ï ³ë·ÂÇϳª ±×·¸Áö ¸øÇÏ´õ¶óµµ ó¹úÀº ÇÏ
Áö ¾Ê´Â ±âÁØÀ̶ó°í ÇÕ´Ï´Ù. ´Ù½Ã ¸»Çؼ­ 2 mg/L°¡ ¹Ù¶÷Á÷ÇÑ ÇÑ°è¶ó°í º¼
¼ö ÀÖ½À´Ï´Ù. 

ÀÌ µÎ °¡Áö ±âÁØÀ» Á¦½ÃÇÑ ÀÌÀ¯´Â 4 mg/L´Â °ñ°Ý ºÒ¼Ò ħÂøÀ» ¹æÁöÇϱâ
À§ÇÑ °ÍÀÌ¸ç µÎ ¹ø° 2 mg/L´Â À̺¸´Ù´Â ¹®Á¦°¡ ´ú ½ÉÇÑ Ä¡¾Æ ºÒ¼Ò ħÂø
À» ¿¹¹æÇϱâ À§ÇÑ °ÍÀε¥, ´ç½Ã ¿¬±¸ °á°ú·Î´Â 2.5mg/L À̻󿡼­ ÁßÁõ Ä¡
¾Æ ħÂøÀÌ Áõ°¡ÇÏ´Â °ÍÀ¸·Î ³ªÅ¸³µ´Ù°í ÇÕ´Ï´Ù.

Ä¡¾Æ ħÂøÁõÀº ¼¼°¡ÁöÀÔ´Ï´Ù. ÁßÁõ¿¡¼­´Â Ä¡¾Æ¿¡ ½ÉÇÑ »ö±ò ¹ÝÁ¡ÀÌ ³ªÅ¸³ª
°í ±¸¸ÛÀÌ ÆÐÀÌ°í Ä¡¾Æ°¡ ºÎ·¯Áú °¡´É¼ºÀÌ Å®´Ï´Ù. °æÁõ ħÂø¿¡¼­´Â ´ÜÁö
Ä¡¾ÆÀÇ ÀÛÀº ºÎºÐ¿¡ ºÒÅõ¸íÇÑ Èò»ö ¹ÝÁ¡ÀÌ ³ªÅ¸³ª°í ÁßÁõ°ú °æÁõÀÇ Áß°£,
Áߵ´Â ³ë¶õ ¹ÝÁ¡ÀÌ ³ªÅ¸³¯ °æ¿ìÀÔ´Ï´Ù. 

2. Çö ±âÁØ NRC °ËÅä¿Í »õ·Î¿î °ËÅä 

NRC¿¡¼­´Â 1993³â ÀÌ EPA ±âÁØÀ» °ËÅäÇÏ¿© ¹Þ¾ÆµéÀÏ ¼ö ÀÖ´Ù´Â °á·ÐÀ»
³»·ÈÀ¸³ª ºÒÈ­¹° µ¶¼ºÇаú °ü·ÃÇÏ¿© ´ÙÀ½°ú °°Àº Á¡¿¡¼­ °è¼Ó ¿¬±¸°¡ ÇÊ¿ä
ÇÏ´Ù°í Çß½À´Ï´Ù. 

*ºÒÈ­¹° ¼·Ãë(ºÒÈ­¹° ¼·ÃëÀÇ Á¦¹Ý ¾ç»óÀ» ¸»ÇÏ´Â °ÍÀÌ ¾Æ´Ñ°¡ »ý°¢µË´Ï´Ù)
*Ä¡¾Æ ºÒ¼Ò ħÂøÁõ
*°ñÀý(ºÒ¼Ò ÃàÀû¿¡ ÀÇÇÑ Á¦¹Ý °ñÀý)
*¹ß¾Ï¼º

±×·¯´ø °ÍÀÌ À۳⠱׷¯´Ï±î 2002³â EPA°¡ NRC¿¡ Çö ±âÁØÀÌ ¾ÆÁ÷ À¯È¿ÇÑ
Áö °ËÅ並 ¿äûÇß½À´Ï´Ù. 1993³â¿¡¼­ 10³âÀÌ Áö³µ´Ù¸é ±× µ¿¾È ºÒÈ­¹°ÀÇ
µ¶¼º µî »õ·Î¿î ¿¬±¸ °á°úµéÀÌ ¸¹ÀÌ ³ª¿ÔÀ» °ÍÀ̱⠶§¹®¿¡ ±× ÀڷḦ ¹Ý¿µ
ÇÏ¿© °ËÅäÇØ ´Þ¶ó´Â ¿äûÀÔ´Ï´Ù.

±×·¡¼­ 2003³â 8¿ù 12ÀÏ Ã¹ ¹ø° °øûȸ°¡ ¿­·È°í ¾ÕÀ¸·Îµµ °è¼Ó °øûȸ¸¦
¿­¾î 2004³â 11¿ù¿¡ °ËÅ並 ¿Ï°áÇÒ °ÍÀ̶ó°í ÇÕ´Ï´Ù. ¾Æ·¡ À̹ø ù ¹ø °ø
ûȸÀÇ ³»¿ëÀ» ¼Ò°³ÇÕ´Ï´Ù.

3. EPA µµ³ëÈÄ

¿ì¼± EPA (¹°)µ¶¼º ºÎ¼­ÀÇ µµ³ëÈÄ(Joice Donohue)´Â óÀ½ ±âÁØ ¼³Á¤ ¶§¿¡
ºÒÈ­¹° ¼·ÃëÀÇ ¿øõÀ» À½¿ë¼ö·Î º¸¾ÒÀ¸³ª Áö³­ 10³â°£ ´Ù¸¥ °³ÀÎ ¿ëÇ°
°æ·Î·Îµµ(Ä¡¾à µîÀ» ¸»ÇÏ´Â °Í °°½À´Ï´Ù) ºÒÈ­¹°À» ¼·ÃëÇ߱⠶§¹®¿¡ ½ÇÁ¦
Ä¡¾Æ ºÒ¼Ò ħÂøÀÌ ¿¹»óÇß´ø °Íº¸´Ù Áõ°¡ÇßÀ» °ÍÀ̶ó´Â ¿°·Á¸¦ Á¦±âÇß½À´Ï
´Ù.

¶ÇÇÑ ±×´Â ºÒ¼ÒÈ­¿¡ ÀÇÇÑ ÃæÄ¡ ¿¹¹æÀÌ ¾î¶»°Ô ³ªÅ¸³ª´ÂÁö¿¡ °üÇÑ ¿¬±¸¿¡
¼­, ºÒÈ­¹°ÀÇ Àü½Å ¼·Ã뺸´Ù ±¹¼Ò ³ëÃâÀÌ ÈξÀ ´õ Áß¿äÇÏ´Ù¸é À½¿ë¼ö¿¡ ºÒ
È­¹°À» ³Ö´Â °Íº¸´Ù ¿¹¸¦ µé¾î Ä¡¾à¿¡ ³ÖÀº °ÍÀÌ ´õ¿í Áß¿äÇÒ °ÍÀ̶ó´Â ¹®
Á¦°¡ Á¦±âµÆ´Ù°í Çß½À´Ï´Ù.

ÀÌ´Â ºÒÈ­¹°ÀÇ µ¶¼º°úµµ °ü·ÃµÈ °ÍÀε¥, ³·Àº ³óµµ¿¡¼­µµ ºÒÈ­¹°ÀÌ ¹ßÀ°°ú
³ú¿¡ ¿µÇâÀ» ¹ÌÄ£´Ù´Â(low levels of fluoride have developmental effects
and effects on the brain) ¿¬±¸ °á°ú°¡ ÀÖ´Ù°í Çß½À´Ï´Ù.

4. CDCP ¸¶½º ÀÇ°ß

´ÙÀ½¿¡ Áúº´ÅëÁ¦ ¿¹¹æ ¼¾ÅÍ(Centers for Disease Control & Prevention) ±¸
°­º¸°Ç ºÎ¼­ÀÇ ¸¶½º(William R. Maas)´Â ÃæÄ¡ ¿¹¹æ¿¡ ¼öµ¾¹° ºÒ¼ÒÈ­ÀÇ °ø
ÇåÀ» °­Á¶Çß½À´Ï´Ù. 1940³â´ë ¸»¿¡ ½ÃÀÛµÈ ºÒ¼ÒÈ­ »ç¾÷À» ÅëÇØ °øÁß º¸°Ç
¿¡ Å« ±â¿©¸¦ Çß´Ù´Â °ÍÀÔ´Ï´Ù.

Âü°íÇÒ Åë°èµµ ÀÖ½À´Ï´Ù. ÇöÀç ¹Ì±¹ÀÎÀÇ 55%¿¡ ÇØ´çÇÏ´Â 1¾ï 6,200¸¸ ¸íÀÌ
ºÒÈ­¹°ÀÌ Ã·°¡µÈ ¹°À» ¸Ô½À´Ï´Ù. ±×·±µ¥ ¾î¸° ÇлýÀÇ 1.3%¸¸ÀÌ ¹®Á¦µÇ´Â
ÁßÁõ°ú ÁõµîµµÀÇ Ä¡¾Æ ºÒ¼Ò ħÂøÁõÀÌ ³ªÅ¸³µ°í Àüü·Î º¸¾Æ 22%ÀÇ ¾î¸°ÀÌ
°¡ ¾î´À Á¤µµÀÇ ºÒ¼Ò ħÂøÀ» °®°í ÀÖ´Ù°í Çß½À´Ï´Ù.

±×¸®°í ºÒ¼ÒÈ­ Áö¿ª 12¼¼ ¾î¸°À̸¦ º¸¾Æ, Æò±Õ ÃæÄ¡ °ü·Ã ºÎ½ÄÀÌ 2.81(Àüü
Ç¥¸é 128·Î ÇÏ¿©)ÀÎ ¹Ý¸é ºÒ¼ÒÈ­ÇÏÁö ¾ÊÀº Áö¿ª¿¡¼­´Â 4.25¶ó°í ÇÕ´Ï´Ù. ´Ù
½Ã ¸»Çؼ­ ¼öµ¾¹° ºÒ¼ÒÈ­¿¡ ÀÇÇØ ÃæÄ¡°¡ 39% °¨¼ÒÇÑ ¼ÀÀÔ´Ï´Ù.

5. ¼º ·Î·»½º ´ëÇÐ ÄÚ³Ý ÀÇ°ß

´ÙÀ½¿¡ ¼º ·Î·»½º ´ëÇÐ È­Çб³¼ö ÄÚ³Ý(Paul Connett)Àº ¸¶½ºÀÇ 39% °¨¼Ò
°¡ Àüü·Î º¼ ¶§ Åë°èÀûÀ¸·Î À¯ÀǼºÀÌ ¾øÀ» °¡´É¼ºÀ» ¸»ÇÏ¸ç ¼­ºÎ À¯·´ÀÇ
¿¹¸¦ µé¾ú½À´Ï´Ù. À¯·´ Àα¸ÀÇ 1-2%¸¸ÀÌ ºÒ¼ÒÈ­µÈ ¹°À» ¸¶½Ã´Âµ¥ Áö³­ 50
³â°£ ¸¶½º°¡ ¸»ÇÑ °Í°ú À¯»çÇÑ ÃæÄ¡ °¨¼Ò°¡ ³ªÅ¸³µ´Ù°í ÇÕ´Ï´Ù. ¹Ì±¹ÀÇ ¼ö
µ¾¹° ºÒ¼ÒÈ­¿¡ ÀÇÇÑ ÃæÄ¡ ¿¹¹æ È¿°ú°¡ ºÒ¼ÒÈ­¿¡ ±âÀÎÇÑ´Ù°í º¼ ¼ö ¾ø´Ù´Â
ÁöÀûÀÔ´Ï´Ù. 

ÄÚ³ÝÀº 20³â°£ 4ppm ºÒÈ­¹°À» ¼·ÃëÇÒ °æ¿ì »ÀÀÇ ºÒ¼Ò ³óµµ°¡ 6,000ppm¿¡
´ÞÇϸç ÀÌ´Â ÀÓ»ó Áõ»óÀ¸·Î º¸¸é ÆäÀ̽º 1¿¡ ÇØ´çÇÑ´Ù°í Çß½À´Ï´Ù. ºÒ¼Ò
³óµµ´Â »À¸¦ Àç·Î ¸¸µé¾î ÃøÁ¤ÇÏ´Â °Í °°Àºµ¥, Á¤»ó »À´Â ºÒ¼Ò ³óµµ°¡
500-1,000ppm, ÀüÀÓ»ó Áõ»óÀÎ °æ¿ì´Â 3,000-5,000ppm ±×¸®°í ÀÓ»ó Áõ»óÀÇ
ÆäÀ̽º 1Àº 6,000-7,000ppm À̶ó°í ÇÕ´Ï´Ù.

ÀüÀÓ»ó Áõ»óÀº º´ Áõ»óÀº ¾øÀ¸³ª ¹æ»ç¼± ÃÔ¿µÀ¸·Î °ËÃâÀÌ °¡´ÉÇÑ Á¤µµÀÌ
¸ç, ÆäÀ̽º lÀÎ °æ¿ì¿¡ Áõ»óÀ¸·Î´Â »ê¹ßÀûÀÎ ÅëÁõ, °üÀýÀÇ °æÁ÷, °ñ¹Ý ¹× ô
ÁÖÀÇ °ñ°æÈ­°¡ ³ªÅ¸³³´Ï´Ù.

ÄÚ³ÝÀÌ ÀǹÌÇÏ´Â °ÍÀº 1ppm ºÒÈ­¹° ¹°À» ¸¶½Ç °æ¿ìµµ ÀüÀÓ»ó Áõ»óÀÌ ³ªÅ¸
³ª´Âµ¥ ÀÌ °æ¿ì¿¡ ¿¹¹ÎÇÑ ºÎÀ§¿¡ °ñÀý °¡´É¼ºÀÌ Ä¿Áö´Â °ÍÀÌ ¾Æ´Ñ°¡ ÇÏ´Â
ÁÖÀåÀÔ´Ï´Ù. »ÀÀÇ ºÒ¼Ò ³óµµ 3,800ppmÀÇ °æ¿ì¿¡µµ °ñÀý·üÀÇ Áõ°¡°¡ º¸°íµÇ
¾ú´Ù°í ÇÕ´Ï´Ù. ±âŸ ÄÚ³ÝÀº µ¿¹° ½ÇÇèÀÌÁö¸¸ ºÒÈ­¹°ÀÌ ½Å°æ µ¶¼º È¿°ú(ÀÎ
°£ÀÇ °æ¿ì Ä¡¸Å µî ¹®Á¦)¸¦ ³ªÅ¸³½´Ù´Â Áõ¾ðµµ ÇÏ¿´½À´Ï´Ù.

6. °á·Ð

NRC À§¿øȸ´Â ÀÌÁ¦ °øûȸ¸¦ ½ÃÀÛÇß½À´Ï´Ù. À§ÀÇ Á¦½ÃµÈ ÀÇ°ßµéÀ» Æ÷ÇÔÇÏ
¿© ÃÖÁ¾ Á¾ÇÕÀûÀ¸·Î Á¤¸®µÉ °ÍÀ̱⠶§¹®¿¡ Çö ´Ü°è¿¡¼­ ¹«¾ùÀ̶ó°í ¸»ÇÒ
°ÍÀº ¾ø½À´Ï´Ù. EPA·Î¼­´Â °ø½ÄÀûÀ¸·Î ÇöÀçÀÇ À½¿ë¼ö Áß ºÒÈ­¹° ³óµµ ±â
ÁØ 4ppm, 2ppmÀ» °ËÅäÇÏ°í ÀÖ½À´Ï´Ù. ÀÌ °úÁ¤¿¡¼­ ¾Õ¼­¿Í °°ÀÌ ¼öµ¾¹° ºÒ
¼ÒÈ­ ¹®Á¦°¡ Á¦±âµÉ °ÍÀº ´ç¿¬ÇÏ¸ç ¼öµ¾¹° ºÒ¼ÒÈ­ ³íÀïÀÇ Çö »óÅÂÀÇ Çмú
Àû »óȲµµ Á¤¸®µÉ °ÍÀÔ´Ï´Ù.

================================

¼öµ¾¹° ºÒ¼ÒÈ­¿Í °ü·ÃµÈ ¹®Á¦´Â Àß ¾Ë·ÁÁ® ÀÖ½À´Ï´Ù. ¾î°¼­ ÃæÄ¡ ¿¹¹æ¿¡
È¿°ú°¡ ÀÖ´Â ¼öµ¾¹° ºÒ¼ÒÈ­¸¦ ¹Ý´ëÇÏ´ÂÁö? ½ºÄÎƽ ¹Ý°æ¿¡¼­´Â (´ëü·Î) ¼ö
µ¾¹° ºÒ¼ÒÈ­°¡ °úÇÐÀûÀ¸·Î Á¤´çÇÏ¸ç ¹Ý´ëÃøÀÇ ÁÖÀåÀ» ÀÇ»ç°úÇÐÀÇ Ãø¸é¿¡¼­ 
ºÐ¼®ÇÏ°í ÀÖ½À´Ï´Ù. ÇмúÀûÀÎ ¸é¿¡¼­ ¸»ÀÔ´Ï´Ù.

±×·¯³ª ¼öµ¾¹° ºÒ¼ÒÈ­´Â °úÇÐÀÇ Á¤Ä¡¹®Á¦¿¡ ¼ÓÇÕ´Ï´Ù. ÀÌ°ÍÀº Á¤´çÇÑ °úÇÐ
À̶ó°í Çصµ »çȸÀÇ µ¿ÀǸ¦ ¾òÁö ¸øÇÏ¸é ¾µ¸ð ¾ø°Ô µÈ´Ù´Â ÀνÄ, ÇÊ¿äÇÑ
°æ¿ì »çȸ¸¦ ¼³µæÇØ¾ß Çϸç ÀÏ¸é »çȸÀÇ ¶æÀÌ ¹«¾ùÀÎÁöµµ ¾Ë¾Æ¾ß ÇÑ´Ù´Â
ÀνÄÀÌ ÇÊ¿äÇÑ °úÇÐÀÇ Á¤Ä¡¹®Á¦ÀÎ °ÍÀÔ´Ï´Ù. ÃÖ±Ù ¹Ì±¹ È­ÇÐȸ C&EN¿¡
¼Ò°³µÈ ¼öµ¾¹° ºÒ¼ÒÈ­¿Í °ü·ÃµÈ µÎ °¡Áö ÀÇ°ß(¾Æ·¡ ¿ø¹® ÂüÁ¶)¿¡ ÀÌ·¯ÇÑ 
¾ç»óÀÌ ³ªÅ¸³ª ÀÖ½À´Ï´Ù.   

2000³â 10¿ù 23ÀÏÀÇ ±ÛÀº ¼öµ¾¹° ºÒ¼ÒÈ­ÀÇ Á¤´ç¼º°ú, ¹Ý´ëÇÏ´Â ´ëÁß ¹× Á¤
Ä¡ÀÎÀÇ ¹®Á¦¸¦ ÁöÀûÇÑ °ÍÀ̾ú½À´Ï´Ù. ±×·¯ÀÚ 2000³â 11¿ù 20ÀÏ¿¡ ºÒ¼ÒÈ­ 
¹Ý´ë ÀÇ°ßÀÌ ¿Ã¶ú½À´Ï´Ù. ¹Ý´ë ÀÌÀ¯´Â °£´ÜÇÕ´Ï´Ù. ¾àÀ» ź ¹°À» °­¿äÇÒ ¼ö
´Â ¾øÀ¸¸ç, À߸ø °ú·® ³Ö¾î Ä¡¸íÀû Çظ¦ ÃÊ·¡ÇÒ °¡´É¼ºÀ» ¹èÁ¦ÇÒ ¼ö ¾ø´Ù
´Â µÎ °¡ÁöÀÔ´Ï´Ù. ÀÌ ¹Ý´ëÀÇ°ßµµ ÃæºÐÇÑ ³í¸®¼ºÀ» °®Ãß°í ÀÖ½À´Ï´Ù. '¹Ì·¡
°úÇÐ'¿¡ °Ô½ÃÇÑ '°úÇÐÀÇ »óº¸¼º' ±ÛÀ» Àо½Ã±â ¹Ù¶ø´Ï´Ù. ·Î¾óµå È£ÇÁ¸¸
ÀÌ ¹«¾ùÀ» ¸»Çß´ÂÁö ¸»ÀÔ´Ï´Ù. 

.....................................   
**ºÒ¼ÒÈ­ Âù¼º

LETTERS
October 23, 2000
Volume 78, Number 43
Water fluoridation safety

Why are the public and, hence, Congress, concerned with fluoride in
drinking water ( C&EN, Sept. 4, page 29 )? The ability of small
amounts of fluoride in drinking water to safely and effectively prevent
dental caries was discovered by dedicated researchers at the National
Institute of Dental Research of the National Institutes of Health in the
late 1940s.

These remarkable findings were the basis for the introduction of water
fluoridation, usually at 1 ppm, in many urban water supplies. In the
past 50 years, these actions have led to a striking improvement in
dental health through prevention of caries in the U.S.

The mechanism by which fluoride prevents caries involves the
stabilization of the tooth enamel mineral. Water fluoridation has been
noted to be a valuable public health measure elsewhere [Critical Rev.
Oral Biol. Med., 8, 136 (1997); Aust. N. Z. J. Public Health, 22, 1949
(1998)].

Fluoride has been considered by the Food & Nutrition Board of the
National Research Council as reported in "Recommended Dietary
Allowances" (National Academy Press, Washington, D.C., 1989, page
235). The board "recommends fluoridation of public water supplies, if
natural fluoride levels are substantially below 0.7 mg per L." Yet,
poorly informed lay individuals concerned with the addition of any
chemicals to food or water seem to raise the question of safety.

We have reviewed the scientific and safety aspects [J. Natl. Cancer
Inst., 82, 1942 (1990)]. It is not clear why Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Calif.)
and Sen. Bob Smith (R-N.H.) burden the Environmental Protection
Agency with allegations on water fluoridation, when in fact, it has been
established for five decades that 1-2 ppm in drinking water is not only
perfectly safe, but has a proven record of preventing dental caries and
is a wise, acceptable, economic public health measure worldwide.

John H. Weisburger
American Health Foundation
Valhalla, N.Y.
.......................................
***ºÒ¼ÒÈ­ ¹Ý´ë 
 
LETTERS
November 20, 2000
Volume 78, Number 47
Water fluoridation

In his letter "Water fluoridation safety," John H. Weisburger asks why
the public is concerned with fluoridation of water ( C&EN, Oct. 23,
page 8 ). I can think of two possible answers: First, does government
have the prerogative of medicating its citizens? Does the majority have
the right to determine what treatment an individual receives? Should an
individual decide that he or she does not want fluoride, misguided as
this decision might be, it is difficult to remove the fluoride from the
water once it has been added. On the other hand, for those people who
want fluoride treatment, supplements are available and people can take
them as they wish.

Second, many people don't trust the competence of the local
municipality to administer fluoridation programs. In one of my
neighboring cities, the local government spent about $500,000 on a
fluoridation system before it even asked its citizens if they wanted
fluoridated water. The fluoridation was rejected in a referendum two
years ago, and the system still sits unused. The citizens rejected
fluoridation in part because of the perceived incompetence of the Public
Works Department. In the past 10 years, I can remember two instances
where Public Works accidently superchlorinated the water. Warnings
went out to the public, who were instructed not to drink the water.

The public was concerned that a similar mistake would be made with
fluoride. What if, instead of being treated with 1 ppm fluoride, the
water was treated to 200 ppm fluoride? A quick calculation from the
Merck Index shows that an infant drinking baby formula made with tap
water could approach, in 24 hours, a dangerous dosage of fluoride (an
infant weighing 3 kg and drinking approximately 3,000 mL of formula;
the calculation is supported by an LD50 of 0.18 mg per kg in rats).
Admittedly, people are not rats, but what serious symptoms could an
infant develop under these circumstances?

Even though government, or some professional association, may
arrogantly decide it knows what is best for individuals, an individual's
choice is still what matters most.

Kenneth R. Self
Allyn, Wash.
.............................................................