Fluoride

Hi, Anyone thought about whether Fluoride effects, or triggered, their MS? I’m currently doing an experiment where I’m trying to cut down on the amount of fluoride I consume by drinking fluoride-free bottled water. Loads of products these days contain it, not just toothpaste and drinking water, but most brands of bottled water has it and so does some medications, eg. Prozac. The list seems to go on and on. I read that fluoride has long been known to effect transmission of nerve signals and is associated with memory problems like Alzheimers. I’ve not found anything to connect it with MS, but if you have a condition to do with transmission of nerve signals then by my recconning, Flouride isn’t going to help. Just a thought. I started with MS symptoms in 2000. I was pregnant with my first child at the time so it’s always been attributed to the stress my body was under at the time, but we moved to our current house at the start of 2000 - which I now know has fluoridated water - and before that I lived for 8 months in an area which also has fluoridated water, however, I’d been visiting that property since 1997. The effects of fluoride are cumulative. Given the world we live in today, I don’t think I can cut Fluoride out completely, but it’ll certainly be interesting to see if I have any improvement by reducing it. Heather

Sorry, but I think it’s probably a red herring. There was no fluoride in the water when I was growing up or during most of my MS life. Is it added to all tap water even now? (I’ve no idea.) Karen x

Flouride is in all sorts of things, ie. products that are made where fluoride IS in the water, eg. soft drinks. Gets you wondering.I only drink water - I don’t “do” caffeine, fizz or soft drinks due to my cystitis probs, so if nothing else I’m now drinking a decent amount of liquid every day. The brand I’ve gone for tastes really nice. My kids like it, so it must be good! Heather

Hi Since the begining of this year i have been studying the effects of MS and external factors to do with MS on our teeth. I do believe that there is a difinitive link with dental problems and tooth decay in MS. I believe that MS causes our teeth to decline gradually due to our own immunity going into over drive. If we use a mouth wash immediately after we have eaten or cleaned our teeth, this will do us more harm than good. A drink of milk or a piece of chese is for better as we need our mouth to be less acidic. Oral hygiene is better carried out about an hour after food. The amount of flouride in our water is of minute proportion, and the amount of dental decay in children has been reduced by 80%. I will however look in to this.We all have our own views and none of us are a 100%. Good luck with your flouride investigations, Jane, domesticgoddess.

Hi. I think I have looked at every theory related to ms over the years and I consider this one more credible than some. However, I thought it would be impossible to cut fluoride out since it is so many products so I didnt even try. Good luck with what you are doing. I will say the thought of fluoride being dangerous concerns me enough that when my daughters school (in connection with the dentist) were painting fluorides on to baby teeth, I declined. The fluoride they were using contains 22000ppm (compared to 500ppm ) in normal toothpaste. This sounded excessive to me and Cheryl:)

Thanks for your replies. I may be in a minority but good to know that I’m not alone. We live in a day and age where, right from the time we get out of bed, we seem to be exposing out bodies to chemicals and surely this can’t be doing us any good. From toothpaste, shampoo, soap and shower gels, to makeup and moisturisers, to the food we eat and the stuff we drink, from cleaning products to air fresheners, we bombard our bodies every day with chemicals and additives that are supposed to enrich our lives and improve our health, but which in reality just make a few people very rich. We’re all victims of advertising and marketing that we now take for granted a lot of the stuff that isn’t good for us and can’t believe it’d do us any harm. Since being diagnosed with MS I take my health more seriously, rather than before when I took my good health for granted. Any improvement gained by cutting out this rubbish will be worth it. My relatives sit muching on crisps and down cans of fizz and think I’m unsociable for not joining in. I think it’s a fear, too, fear that they know they’re not doing themselves any good but worried that people will laugh at them if they don’t “fit in”. What a wonderful world we live in. I’m a big fan of Barry Groves and his books. It’s really opened my eyes further. Thanks for your support. Heather

Fluoride was introduced to the water supply -as a ‘mass medication’ to help prevent tooth decay - whether we needed it or not. lts difficult to find a toothpaste that doesn’t also contain it. And as it is in most drinks etc - its very difficult to get away from it. Heather - you have really got me interested in Barry Groves - his research is not just on nutrition for pwms - its for everyone - [and their dog] Yes l agree with him on the feeding of dogs. l would like to get one of his books - Heather - which one would you recommend for a day to day what to eat guide. Frances.