Fluoride and Munich's water supply

Enquiring minds want to know, is fluoride added to Munich's water supply? Well, TT can now provide the definitive answer. No. Fluoride is not added. Eighty percent of Munich's water comes from the river Mangfall. This water contains a natural fluoride concentration of 0.24 milligrammes per litre. For purposes of dental health the World Health Organisation defines the optimum water fluoride concentration as 1.5 milligrammes per litre. Although Munich's water falls well below this level, no fluoride is added. The main reasons are: i) fluoride is considered an environmental pollutant, ii) citizens have the right to make their own choices regarding fluoride consumption. They shouldn't be forced into mass medication by the government. This is in-line with water fluoridation policy across most of Europe. ...

[img]http://www.toytowngermany.com/munich/fluoride_toothpaste.jpg[/img]

Children in Munich are often prescribed fluoride by their doctors. The purpose of this is to make up for the fluoride deficiency in the local water supply. Although Fluoride prevents tooth decay, too much of it is actually hazardous. Children in particular should not drink water that contains more than 2 mg/l of fluoride. By doing so they risk dental fluorosis (the disruption of tooth enamel development). In excess of 4 mg/L can cause bone disease, kidney problems, and even brain damage. It has been suggested that there is no fluoride in German toothpaste. But a standard tube from the local Penny Markt clearly shows there is (see image above). Brushing the teeth twice daily with such toothpaste should more than compensate for the lack of fluoride in the water.

Eighty percent of Munich's water supply comes from the river Mangfall, not the Isar as you might expect. The Mangfall is a short river, about 60Km long. It's source is the lake Tegernsee, at the foot of the Alps. From there the Mangfall flows north to Holzkirchen, then East into the river Inn at Rosenheim. The Inn flows into the Danube at Passau which in turn drains into the Black Sea. The closest the Mangfall gets to Munich is at Holzkirchen. So Stadtwerk München carries the water the remaining 45Km to the city. A massive 320 million litres are transported per day.

This water is basically untreated. No Fluoride is added. Normally no Chlorine is added either. Chlorine is only used when bacteria get into the water and pose a health risk. This can happen, for example, during extreme flooding. It happens rarely though. In 2000 and 2001 there wasn't a single day when Chlorine was added.

For more details, in German, see Wasser Muenchen

A lot of Germans I know brush their teeth once a week with a floride concentrate Elmex Gel (v. small tube - not the normal toothpaste size). After I'd been here for a few years my teeth had almost fallen apart as they were missing the flouride in the UK water. My bill for the tooth work done 4 years ago was 2500 dm. I'd never had a filling in the UK :( (my 36 year old brother still doesn't have any) Now I use this elmex stuff my teeth seem much more resilient (methinks). One of my ex girlfriends was also given floride tablets as a kid - which produced fantasically white teeth - you can see a bright white line in her enamel depicting the time that she took these tablets.

I advise using this stuff to compensate for the lack of floride. I do not think that brushing the teeth wth normal toothpaste is enough. Proof of this is the state of decay of many germans' teeth. The seem to be much "softer" that british teeth. Yeah - they're straighter than Brit teeth (what nationality doesn't have straighter teeth?) but of crap quality.

Oh - and drink milk. use floss, tongue scrubber etc etc. (floss and tongue scrubber = no smelly morning breath!!)

Mark my words. End of lecture.

This is fine and good, except for one reason why it makes very little sense to add floride to tap water. Yes, there is one problem. Yes, one problem there is.

GERMANS DON'T DRINK TAP WATER!!!

True! Blew my arguments out of the water. Must be the sh*t in the mineral water thats rotting their teeth then - maybe those bubbles? ;) Or the fact that I don't know many that drink milk or have milk on their cereal (cereal is a new thing in germany). Do german kids also get free milk in their schools?

O well. Any dentists? Continue in the forum.

As a Dental Hygienist working here in Munich, I can vouch for the higher rates of caries (cavities) then in alot of the other EU countries. Most Germans see Fluoride as a poison. But I do prescribe Elmex or Gel Kam (Colgate) once a week, but not brushing with it. And don't rinse it out. You wash away all the good stuff then.
Most Mineral waters also do not contain natural fluoride. And god forbid it be added!
I personally still use paste with fluoride, and gel regualarily.

Dear sir,
I have been affected by teeth discoluration and i consulted doctor i received feedback that my teeth affected by floride in water.
now my teeth found yellow colour

I want my teeth in white colour
kindly advise
REGARDS
Dhanasekar

'I want my teeth in white colour'

try brushing...