It never ceases to amaze me how corrupt our health regulatory agencies are. Created to protect public health, these agencies have instead become the means by which industry-funded “science” influences public perceptions of health and safety, all while enabling the distribution of toxins, contaminants and poisons into our bodies via food, water, air, medications, and personal hygiene products like toothpaste.
The recent pandemic and what came down the gangplank is a perfect example of how our government regulatory agencies censored information that would have allowed people to make more informed health decisions, created widespread stigma around personal health choices, and in many cases even prevented individuals from exercising their right to bodily integrity and informed consent through medical mandates of products that were later shown through Freedom of Information Act requests to be more harmful than the diseases they were designed to prevent.
I digress, sortov. This post is supposed to be about toothpaste. All of this to say that it is perhaps a tall order to assume that if our government cannot or WILL NOT protect us from bioweapons that our own tax dollars funded, that they are even less likely to prevent us from poisoning ourselves from something as innocuous as toothpaste.
It’s unacceptable that people (mostly women) can go through literally decades of confusion, pain, expense, and heartache in their attempts to solve mystery illnesses like migraine that in some cases are being caused or exacerbated by such simple and seemingly innocent factors like which brand of toothpaste they use.
Think about the impact on families, partnerships, communities and productivity that results from people living day in and day out with chronic illnesses that their doctors don’t know how to resolve, that they must live with and seek to manage and understand and heal on their own in the midst of their busy lives.
Fluoride is an organic mineral that is extremely acidifying and caustic. Yes, it does harden teeth – at the expense of many other bodily functions. It’s time to reveal fluoride and other toxic mineral contaminants hidden in everyday dental products.
Fluoride is a Halide that Competes with Iodine and is Toxic to Humans
I’ve written before about fluoride/fluorine and the problems with it in my blog post “Why You Need to Avoid Toxic Halides.” I also recently wrote about bromide/bromine, another toxic halide, and its contamination in wheat products, in my blog post “Wheat and Migraines: What’s the Connection?“
The halides are chlorine, bromine, fluorine, and iodine. The basic problem here with chlorinated water, fluoridated water, fluoride in food and medications, and bromide in swimming pools and in bread, is that these other halides all compete with iodine in the thyroid gland. If you are getting a large exposure of these halides in your environment while at the same time consuming too little iodine, your body will have to make thyroid hormone out of fluoride.
The symptoms of hypothyroidism and fluoride poisoning are indistinguishable (according to Dr. Jerry Tennant in his book “Healing is Voltage”). Migraine is intimately tied to hypothyroidism. Both glandular hypothyroidism (type 1) and cellular hypothyroidism (type 2) play a big role in migraine symptoms (you can read more about the thyroid gland and migraine here and here and here).
An HTMA lab does not reveal the presence of the halides, however, the symptoms of hypothyroidism and iodine deficiency are fairly easy to detect.
How Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) Alerted Me to the Problem of Fluoridated Toothpaste
Recently I got HTMA lab results back from a client of mine I’ve been working with for years. She has some very serious health challenges, including the presence of an “empty sella”, a condition in which the subarachnoid space herniates into the sella turcica, causing compression and flattening of the pituitary gland and stretching of the pituitary stalk. This empty sella is certainly affecting her hormone levels and contributing to her migraines. And researchers have found compromised pituitary function in rats exposed to high levels of fluoride.
This client has always had elevated calcium levels , although it was unclear until now what was likely causing those elevated calcium levels. Due to some detective work that I did, I can say that I think it’s plausible that her Sensodyne toothpaste is playing a huge role not only in her elevated calcium but in the elevations of other contaminants showing up in her hair, namely strontium, titanium and tin. (See further down in this article for more info on calcium and fluoride).
Sensodyne toothpaste, which this client has used for years, contains strontium acetate (to replace the calcium that the fluoride will displace), titanium dioxide, and stannous fluoride.
Here are her my clients recent HTMA results. They are a year apart, with the most recent reading being the top values. This first graph shows her nutritional elements. We see an elevation of calcium indicating parathyroid gland overstimulation – or, displacement of calcium by fluoride – and a magnesium loss or “excretion”.
Here we see the extreme elevations in zirconium, titanium, tin, and strontium, as well as the presence of elevated barium, which is very likely a remnant from the x-ray imaging she received as part of the diagnosis for her empty sella. We often see zirconium levels go up with calcium levels on an HTMA.
Although it is not alway possible to determine where the contaminants showing up in an HTMA are coming from, in this case I think it’s very plausible that we’ve found the culprit.
Types of Fluoride in Toothpaste
I’ve known for some time that many forms of toothpaste contain fluoride, but I hadn’t known until two days ago the extent of the contamination that exists in some toothpastes beyond the fluoride content (these contaminants are often bound to the flouride).
The types of fluoride used in toothpastes are stannous fluoride, sodium fluoride, and sodium monofluorophosphate.
Recall the elevated TIN levels of the client of mine who uses sensodyne toothpaste. Stannous fluoride is a type of fluoride combined with tin.
While many brands of toothpaste contain sodium fluoride (also poisonous), others contain “stannous” fluoride. What is stannous fluoride? It’s the type of fluoride contained in Sensodyne that I believe explains my client’s elevated tin levels. Stannous fluoride is fluoride mixed with tin. It’s benefits are related to its ability to reduce bleeding in gums (at the expsense of your thyroid health).
“According to a meta-analysis published in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology, patients who implement a home care regimen that includes a highly bioavailable stannous fluoride demonstrate a 51% reduction in bleeding when combined with mechanical plaque control above using a sodium fluoride or sodium monofluorophosphate product.” (source)
That article reveals some very odd language (it is essentially propaganda): “patients using a manual brush and a well-formulated stannous fluoride dentifrice were 3.7 times more likely to transition to health than those using a standard toothpaste. . . . In fact, patients who brushed with a bioavailable stannous fluoride had similar reductions in bleeding as patients who implemented floss daily for two weeks” (source). WOW! Why not just floss?
“We have described two patients with allergic contact cheilitis caused by tin present in Sensodyne Rapid Relief toothpaste, which contains 0.454% w/w tin in the form of stannous (tin) fluoride.” (source)
Here is a list of toothpaste products containing stannous fluoride.
Glaxo-smith Kline has fomulated a new type of Sensodyne called Sensodyne Nourish. It does not contain stannous flouride (so contains no tin), but is still full of flouride.
“Formulated with bioactive minerals and blended with aloe vera extract and natural mint, this flavored toothpaste provides a clean sensation in your mouth. This Sensodyne toothpaste also contains a clinically proven ingredient for sensitivity relief with twice daily brushing.” (source)
Notice how appealing the idea of “bioactive minerals” can sound when combined with other natural ingredients. This level of greenwashing is insidious and evil. Notice how vague and misleading the language is – “a clinically-proven ingredient.” If the packaging said that “this toothpaste contains the toxic metal tin for sensitivity relief”, no-one would buy it.
I was also horrified to see that a brand that’s considered more of a natural brand (Tom’s) and made for children contains sodium monofluorophosphate. This is the toothpaste that my otherwise health-conscious friends have provided to their children to use. Both of their children have serious health problems, especially digestive problems.
“Each year there are thousands of reports to Poison Control Centers throughout the United States due to excessive ingestion of fluoride toothpaste and other fluoridated dental products. GI symptoms are generally the first symptoms that a person (usually a child) will experience. A review of reports to Poison Control Centers in Utah found that vomiting was induced in children after ingestion of just 5 to 9 mg of fluoride. Because GI symptoms caused by fluoride toothpaste ingestion mimic common GI problems, people experiencing gastric distress from fluoride toothpaste may not realize the source of their problem. ” (source)
Types of Dental Treatmens Using Fluoride
The CDC notes that there are many different types of fluoride treatments and exposures beyond fluoridated toothpaste. There are fluoride supplements, mouth washes, gels, and dental varnishes.
But he CDC does not mention that many dental flosses also contain fluoride or fluorine in the form of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).
“A study conducted by the Silent Spring Institute examined the blood of 178 women using various flosses, and researchers found higher levels of fluorine in those who used the Oral B Glide dental flosses. Examination of 12 other brands found no problem. The fluorine was coming from a fluoride-containing compound called PFAS, which is used to make the floss slide easily.” (source)
Here is a list of PFAS-free dental flosses.
Fluoride & It’s Broader Effects on Neuroendocrine Function
Below are a few research notes I’m sharing that I found in the course of asking to what degree fluoride affects hormonal/neuroendocrine function:
“Fluoride can act on the parathyroid gland directly to modulate iPTH secretion in vitro and in vivo. It is still not clear if the decrease in total serum calcium level is responsible for fluoride-mediated iPTH modulation. The effect of fluoride on iPTH secretion is rapid and observable even after single fluoride dose. The overall effects of fluoride are not limited to parathyroid gland but changes in expression of genes involved in BPK feedback loop suggest a broader impact of fluoride on multiple aspects of bone metabolism.” (source)
“Fluoride affects two glands in the endocrine system: the pituitary and pineal glands. This can have various hormonal effects:
- TSH: Studies confirm fluoride affects the production of thyroid hormones. This drives the pituitary gland to release more TSH, which stimulates the thyroid gland in an attempt to produce more thyroid hormones.
- Melatonin: Fluoride accumulates in the pineal gland, which produces melatonin, a hormone that is responsible for establishing sleep patterns. Some experts suggest fluoride’s effect on the pineal gland reduces the amount of melatonin produced, affecting a person’s sleep.
- Sex hormones: Research suggests that fluoride can reduce sex hormones. Effects on sex hormones can cause problems with fertility and puberty.
- Insulin: Another possible effect of fluoride on the endocrine system is blocking the function of the pancreas. This can affect insulin levels and how the body controls blood sugar.
- Cortisol: Some experts suggest that fluoride also affects the adrenal glands and decreases the levels of another hormone called cortisol.
In one 2019 study, researchers explored whether high exposure to fluoride is associated with changes in sleep patterns in adolescents. The results suggest that increases in people’s exposure to fluoride through drinking water elevated the risk of sleep disturbances such as sleep apnea.” (source)
Water Fluoridation
The addition of fluoridated toothpaste to someone already drinking fluoridated water would be a double-whammy. You can see if your municipality uses fluoride in their drinking water here. 72% of Americans drink fluoridated water.
According to Dr. Bernstein in his book “Iodine: Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It”, the amount of fluoride added to municipal water is at an equivalent level to the amount demonstrated clinically to lower thyroid levels in the treatment of hyperthyroidism.
Another insidious source of fluoride exposure is from polytetrafluoroethylene (PFAS), which is used in a staggering array of consumer products and commercial applications (and even found in menstrual products). PFAS are incredibly persistent, never breaking down in the environment and remaining in our bodies for years. Fluoride from PFAS has also shown to contaminate water supplies. Here is a map of PFAS water contamination in the US.
We also know from studies done on those who work with fluoride on an industrial level that fluoride has an effect on both thyroid and parathyroid levels (source).
Fluoride & It’s Relationship to Calcium
Fluoride displaces calcium, perhaps because fluoride is so acidifying and the body will mobilize calcium from bone and teeth to help buffer the acidity of fluoride. This is why Dr. Russel Blaylock, a neurosurgeon, reccommends that when people get fluoride-based anesthesia, they always protect their bodies with plenty of calcium beforehand. Recall that in my client above, her HTMA results revealed very elevated calcium levels – ie, the fluoride was displacing calcium into the soft tissues.
“If this same fluoride-to-calcium proportionality applies to chronic daily intake of fluoride, then the ingestion of 5 mg of fluoride per day would require a supplemental intake of 200 mg calcium per day. This extrapolation may not be justified, but it serves to emphasize the need for an adequate intake of dietary calcium during long-term exposure to fluoride.” (source)
The Fluoride Action Network states that those with iodine and calcium deficiencies will be the most susceptible to fluoride’s negative effects.
Bottom Line: Fluoride is an Industrial Waste By-Product that Anyone with Migraine Should Avoid
Fluoride is a toxic industrial byproduct. The most common form of fluoride, fluorosilic acid, is produced as a chemical “byproduct” of the aluminum, steel, cement, and phosphate industries. Prior to the use of liquid fluoride as fluorosilic acid, fluoride gasses were released into the atmosphere from the phosphate industry. These fluoride gasses destroyed crops and crippled cattle. Due to this environmental damage and the lawsuits that followed, industries were forced to find a new way to deal with the toxic fluoride. So they found a way to convert the fluoride vapours into fluorosilic acid, a liquid that was more containable.
One of the best sources of information on fluoride toxicity and the history of how fluoride was put into our food, water, and medications, is the book “Fluoride, the Aging Factor” by John Yiamouyiannis.
Dr. Yiamouyiannis points out that, “One means of disposing of fluoride was to sell it as a rat poison and insecticide. However, since there weren’t enough rats and insects around to poison, there still remained a problem of what to do with this excess fluoride.”
If you want to heal your migraines, you’ll need to be extra careful to not become a fluoride waste disposal dump. And you’ll want to get that flouride out of your body.
