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Letters to the EditorsFluoride negatives rarely addressed
© St. Petersburg Times, Re: Fluoridation would benefit Pinellas, by Stephen T. Perez, Oct. 14. Dr. Perez's column praising the success of water fluoridation neglected to recognize the detrimental effects of fluoridation. Although I am not qualified to address the safety issue of fluoridating water, I would note that toothpaste carries FDA warnings about the dangers of fluoride to small children. What I am qualified to address is fluoride allergies. My wife suffers a minor fluoride allergy, while friends of ours suffer from an extreme allergy and cannot even use fluoridated toothpaste. After years of taking ill while traveling, my wife learned of her allergy to fluoride. Now when we travel, she must purchase and drink bottled water or soda to avoid the excess consumption of fluoride. Although she is fortunate enough to be able to brush her teeth twice a day with fluoridated toothpaste, she cannot brush a third time without becoming ill, and cannot use mouthwash with fluoride. If Pinellas County insists on adding fluoride to our water supply, people such as my wife will no longer be able to drink tap water. We will be forced to purchase large quantities of bottled water for consumption, and she will be forced to drink soda at restaurants, instead of her usual water with lemon. What a wonderful example that will set for our children. If Pinellas County is concerned that children are not getting enough fluoride, maybe it should develop educational programs or make fluoride tablets available to its concerned citizens. Perhaps, if Pinellas County was so concerned about cavities in children, it would stop selling sugared colas, chewing gum and candy in its schools. The loss of profits from ceasing that enterprise could be balanced by not paying for fluoridation of water. And maybe, just maybe, Pinellas County can trust its citizens to brush their own teeth.
Fluoride argument fails to hold waterThe ADA supports adding fluoride to our water, so that should be good enough for all of us, but let's not stop there. The osteoporosis foundation says that we do not get enough calcium, so why don't we add that too? Our sun here is awfully fierce, why don't we add a dose of a sunscreen agent too? How many times have we heard that we do not get enough iron? Let's add some of that too. Many health gurus say that we should take ginseng to improve our memory. Let's add a little of that. And don't forget dear old Mom telling us that we need to take our vitamin C to keep from getting a cold -- add a dose of that too. The heart association says that an aspirin a day can prevent heart attacks, so why don't we add some of that too. The list goes on and on about what we could do to make our water better for us. Seriously, though, if we need any of the above things in our diet, why don't we just take them on our own and not mess up one of the best water systems in the country with a lot of toxic waste products.
Water is wrong way to deliver fluorideI am truly against the fluoridation of our drinking water and will certainly vote against it when the opportunity arrives. We do not need another chemical forced on us by adding fluoride to the water we drink. Fluorine is added in order to fluoridate water. Webster's Dictionary describes fluorine as "a corrosive, poisonous, pale greenish-yellow gaseous chemical element, the most reactive non-metallic element . . . ." I have always taken good care of my teeth and do not need help from the fluoridation of our water. Pinellas County has numerous senior citizens, many of whom have all or partial false teeth. They do not need fluoride in their water. Others who have themselves and their children to look after can obtain fluoride treatments from their dentists. Citizens, be careful what you vote for! I urge county commissioners to consider the effects of fluoridation on all of the citizens of Pinellas County before making a decision in this matter.
Family sings praises of fluoridated waterThis is from my son, who has lived in St. Paul, Minn., since 1973 and has two grown kids who have been treated to fluoridated water all their lives: "We have had fluoride in our water for as long as I can remember. It's really helped the kids. Kari has never had a cavity, and I believe Eric has had one. It's no big deal, really! I haven't had any cavities since I moved up here."
Bread company helps seniors at homeLike everyone else in our fine nation, our thoughts are with those whose lives have been affected by Sept. 11. Hearts have been opened and arms are stretched wide, offering any assistance needed. At the same time, we must not forget our own communities. We have many organizations right here in the Tampa Bay area that need help daily to keep thriving. At the city of St. Petersburg Sunshine Center, we work to provide a sort of home-away-from-home atmosphere for seniors in St. Petersburg. Two months ago, the Atlanta Bread Co. put an ad in a local newspaper seeking a worthy organization to receive its day-old bread. We put a call in and were happy to be the recipients of the "goodies." I jumped around, feeling like we were given a million dollars! This is the first time as an employee that I was able to make such a valuable deal for the wonderful people I see each day. You see, quite a few of our participants are low-income and have no relatives in the immediate area. On their limited income, they must sometimes choose between basic items such as medication or groceries. They will be truly grateful for this wonderful gift. A portion of our funds comes from private and corporate donations to supply holiday dinners, special programs and more. It's very hard to ask for donations in a time of despair as we are now facing. But it takes little effort from a company such as Atlanta Bread to make our dreams closer to reality. We extend our sincere thanks to Atlanta Bread Co., located in BayWalk, for its compassion.
Curbside recycling is well worth the costRe: City will price curbside recycling. It is about time! Kudos to St. Petersburg City Council member Jay Latista for having the sense to at least study the issue. There is no reason a city the size of St. Petersburg should not have a comprehensive curbside recycling program. In the article, council member John Bryan said, "The reality is we have a program that works." The program may work, but it is less than efficient. The way it works now individuals have to haul their recyclables to a brush site and throw them in a bin so that a truck can pick them up and take them to a central recycling location. It would be well worth a few bucks a month to have curbside pickup. You would see more people recycling if you make it less of a hassle for them.
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