The Problem with Fluoride
There is evidence that fluoride offers protection against cavities (1). However, we now know it is a neurotoxin, especially effecting children (2), as well as a microbiome disruptor.
In 2016 the Fluoride Action Network (FAN), along with Moms Against Fluoridation, Food & Water Watch, the American Academy of Environmental Medicine, the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology, and the Organic Consumers Association submitted a Citizens Petition under Section 21 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requesting a ban on the addition of fluoridation chemical to water. When the EPA denied their petition, they filed suit in the federal courts.
This suit went on for nearly a decade, when finally in September of 2024 the federal court in California ruled in favor stating that “there is substantial and scientifically credible evidence establishing that fluoride poses a risk to human health; it is associated with a reduction in the IQ of children…” forcing the EPA to take action to strengthen regulation.
In March 2025, Utah became the first state to completely ban fluoride in public drinking water.
Why We Recommend Xylitol
Xylitol is a 5-carbon alcohol sugar that creates an alkaline environment in the mouth, in which disease cannot survive.
Xylitol inhibits the growth of Streptococcus mutant, a major bacteria responsible for tooth decay and plaque (3), it doesn’t feed bacteria like regular sugar, it helps maintain a natural pH in the mouth which prevents enamel erosion and tooth decay (4), and it remineralizes enamel (3).
Sources:
1 Hellwig E, Lennon AM. Systemic versus topical fluoride. Caries Res. 2004 May-Jun;38(3):258-62. doi: 10.1159/000077764. PMID: 15153698.
2 Adkins EA, Brunst KJ. Impacts of Fluoride Neurotoxicity and Mitochondrial Dysfunction on Cognition and Mental Health: A Literature Review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Dec 7
3 Nayak PA, Nayak UA, Khandelwal V. The effect of xylitol on dental caries and oral flora. Clin Cosmet Investig Dent. 2014 Nov 10;6:89-94. doi: 10.2147/CCIDE.S55761. PMID: 25422590; PMCID: PMC4232036.
4 odha.on.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/ODHA-Facts-xylitol.pdf
