Dialysis and fluoridation

As a dental hygiene student in 1972, my professor’s assignment was to research the benefits and risks of using fluoridated water. I remember quite vividly that several journal articles showed that kidney dialysis patients were negatively impacted with fluoridated water. That negative effect on a subset of patients bothered me, but I thought that the benefits of adding fluoride to a water supply must outweigh the negative medical consequences. But I was wrong.

Fast forward to today. A friend of mine with COVID-19 has recently undergone kidney dialysis treatments. I am concerned, because research still shows that fluoridated water poses a risk to dialysis patients. Even if one decides to obtain non fluoridated water for drinking and cooking, taking a shower in fluoridated water can increase fluoride concentrations in one’s body.

The Spokane City Council must not ignore the fact that placing an additive like fluoride into a water supply adversely impacts some individuals in our community. This seems disrespectful. Will the council respect the needs of kidney dialysis patients who are struggling to stay alive or ignore 50 years of established science and put vulnerable people at risk?

Gloria Clark, retired registered dental hygienist

Spokane