Remember being a kid and being told by everyone that fluoride was magic? I bet you don’t have any memories of being told about its dangers…here we will explore that dark side, from skin issues to impaired gut health and pineal gland stress. Brand new research also shows cognitive impairment in children with fluoride excess.

Nothing to Do with Being Natural

Even in its natural state, fluoride is not a nutrient. It is a halogen, as are chlorine and bromine. Halogens can be very useful in manufacturing, as they are oxidizing agents which makes them powerful catalysts for reacting with other compounds. In the protection of teeth, fluoride catalyzes with calcium and phosphorus to mineralize them. However, as useful as halogens may be as chemical building blocks, there are some pretty major drawbacks. The are all very reactive, creating nasty corrosive compounds when combined with other elements. In addition, they are pretty toxic themselves - fluorine and chlorine in particular. Studies conducted by Bharti and Srivastava in rats showed the beneficial effect of melatonin and pineal proteins on fluoride-induced oxidative stress, which is one of the most well-known effects of fluoride on the body. We’ll delve into the pineal gland and fluoride a bit later in this article.

The form of fluoride most commonly added to municipal water today is not naturally occurring sodium or calcium fluorides, but fluorosilicic acid, a liquid that is a by-product of fertilizer manufacturing. Fluorosilicic acid itself is corrosive and highly toxic. Its Material Safety Data Sheet warns “do not breathe vapor…do not get in eyes [or] on skin”. Of course it is diluted (4.4 gallons to 1 million gallons) with water, but the dangers are still very real. Yet, it is being placed in our water - the last reported statistics indicate 63% of the U.S. population received water fluoridated with fluorosilicic acid, 28% with sodium fluorosilicate, and only 9% with sodium fluoride. We like to think of the daily rituals of showering or bathing as safe, healthy, and grounding. But, do we need to reconsider this idea?

Most western countries do not utilize fluoridation practices anymore, but rely on toothpaste and salts to deliver fluoride for dental protection. Municipal water sources were predicted to prevent 25% of childhood tooth decay, but the original practice also did not plan to utilize a toxic acid rather than a naturally occurring compound. Fluoride’s primary benefit to teeth comes from topical application to the outside of the teeth, not from ingestion of fluoride internally.

Even in a natural form, too much fluoride is a bad thing. It creates browning of the teeth (fluorosis) and of the bones, and as we’ll explore here, issues with skin health, gut health, and pineal gland function. While most people are filtering their drinking water, a large percentage of people still do not consider that their shower and bath water is loaded with fluoride which is being absorbed on a regular basis. Maybe don’t throw the baby out with it, but possibly the bath water!

How Many Commercials Does It Take?

Have you noticed the explosion in the number of TV commercials advertising pharmaceuticals for skin conditions? I am stunned, honestly, and wonder how many it will take for people to begin to wonder what all is contributing to all of this skin disease. One in four Americans now has some form of skin disease. While not the sole consideration, fluoride is certainly a culprit…

Fluoride being absorbed into the skin and/or contacting already irritated skin has been studied and shown to be pro-inflammatory. Fluoride rapidly penetrates human skin under formation of a notable skin reservoir (which alters the natural immunity of the skin, your body’s largest organ).

Acne has also been shown to be associated with fluoride presence as well. The activation of enzymes utilizing steroidal hormones in the skin is compromised with its presence.

Everything Connects to the Gut

We talk about everything and the gut here…and now it’s fluoride. I must say also that a large majority of my clients with gut issues also have skin issues. While there may be many connecting dots in these scenarios, there is no question that fluoride is one of those dots. Of course, our immune systems include both the skin and the gut, so their responses to imbalances are likely to be associated.

In one study, fluoride concentration was shown to create damage in the brush border of the intestines. Authors state: “A concentration-dependent change in permeability was observed; there was an increase in the volume of luminal fluid and altered net transport of Na+ and K+ ions.” Simply put, the higher the concentration of fluoride, the greater the permeability of the gut and the greater the alterations in sodium and potassium transport . Sodium is our main intracellular cation and potassium is our main extracellular cation - they are essential to electrical currents inside and outside our cells. This indicates one more path by which we can develop leaky gut syndrome. It also indicates a path by which we can experience disruption in electrical transmission in the body (which affects major systems including nervous, musculoskeletal and cardiovascular).

Another notable finding in this study is a drastic reduction in alkaline phosphatase in the brush border. If you are a client of True Nature Health Consulting, you know we test and correct levels of this critical enzyme. Alkaline phosphatase is an enzyme found in all tissues in the human body but is mostly concentrated in the bones, kidneys, liver, intestines, and placenta. Some major functions of alkaline phosphatase include protecting your intestinal tract against bacteria, aiding in digestion, breaking down proteins, fats and some B vitamins, and promoting bone formation. Its associations with endotoxins and zinc stores are well documented, therefore it is also highly associated with gut health. Authors of this study found a 41% reduction of alkaline phosphatase in the brush border with the concentrated fluoride.

The Pineal Gland and Fluoride

The pineal gland is a tiny gland located within the brain. It has been described as the most sensitive part of the nervous system. One of its major tasks is the production of melatonin, which regulates circadian rhythms and sleep-wake cycles. Rapidly expanding literature also attests to the involvement of melatonin in immune function, with high levels promoting and low levels suppressing a number of immune system parameters. The detection of melatonin receptors in various lymphoid organs and in lymphocytes suggests multiple mechanisms of action. Melatonin has been shown to be a powerful antioxidant and has oncostatic properties as well, both direct and indirect (the latter mediated by its effects on reproductive hormones).

The pineal gland is quite vulnerable to accumulations of fluoride. Due to its exceptionally high vascularization and its location outside the blood–brain barrier, the pineal gland may accumulate significant amounts of calcium and fluoride, making it the most fluoride-saturated organ of the human body. Both the calcification and accumulation of fluoride may result in melatonin deficiency.

Study of human pineal glands has revealed a correlation between calcium and fluoride concentrations and calcification of the glands. Pineal glands included in a study by Tharnpanich et al were collected from deceased persons aged 33 to 91 years (mean 67 years) who had inhabited an area with low fluoride contamination. This is a strong argument for the idea that a smaller or larger accumulation of fluoride in the gland occurs even when the organism is not exposed to particularly large amounts of fluorine compounds in the environment.

Another notable connection with fluoride and the gland is that of increases in sleep disturbances. Higher water fluoride levels were connected with higher odds of participants reporting snorting, gasping, or sleep apnea while sleeping at night. This same reference includes statistics for increased daytime sleepiness in adolescents with high fluoride exposure.

The pineal gland secretes melatonin, a hormone in our bodies that helps to regulate circadian rhythms. Calcification of the gland from fluoride exposure can impact melatonin release. When melatonin release from the pineal gland is reduced, sleep cycles will be negatively affected.

Unfortunate Connections Between Fluoride and Mood Disorders

Studies also show that fluoride also causes disruption in the nervous system. Fluoride exposure is, unfortunately connected with mood disorders including depression and anxiety. Researchers observed fluoride inducing an imbalance between excitation and inhibition which resulted in abnormal behavior and mood disorders.

Another Unfortunate Connection

The brain and neurological system are also at risk with fluoride exposure. Brand new research has shown that fluoride (obtained through drinking water) affects cognitive function in children. Lead author Tewodros Godebo, Ph.D., assistant professor of environmental health sciences at Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, told the Tulane News that the testing underlying their study “affirmed a clear association between high fluoride and cognitive impairment.” He stated: “These results add to the growing concern about the potential neurotoxic effects of fluoride, especially during early brain development and childhood.”

The researchers didn’t analyze IQ. Instead, they used tests (Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery) designed to identify different markers of cognitive impairment and found that the higher the levels of fluoride exposure, the worse children performed on both tests and that in the CANTAB tests, the total number of errors became “markedly stronger” as the tasks became more difficult.

This study is the latest in a long series of studies showing that fluoride is a neurotoxicant that can cause cognitive impairment in children.

At this point, it’s no longer a question of whether fluoride damages the brain. It’s a question of at what dose, and how that dose interacts with innate susceptibility among the population. Fluoride applied to the teeth is a completely different topic from fluoridation of drinking water.

Curcumin has been studied to attenuate the neurotoxic effects of fluoride.

Signs of Fluoride Overload and What’s to Be Done

It is always best to be supported with careful investigation when you are experiencing health issues. But, here are the some of the clues you may look for if you are considering fluoride as a contributing factor with your health concerns:

skin eruptions, chronic or acute
imbalances in digestion and gut function
sleep disturbance and/or daytime sleepiness
cognitive impairment
brown spots on your teeth
reactions to iodine
sensitivity to chlorine
dryness of skin and/or poor wound healing
mental fatigue
perioral dermatitis
headache
brittle bones
achy joints
thyroid disease (this is a long and well-documented connection with fluoride overload)

Detox of fluoride is often aided by inclusion of iodine in the diet and supplemental practices. It can also be aided by curcumin consumption. It is necessary to filter all waters being consumed and/or used for personal hygiene. In some cases, substituting water cleansing with oil washing will help to heal the skin. Lymphatic supports often help, as do detoxification supports.

As always, consulting with an experienced practitioner who considers all constitutional strengths, weaknesses and needs is best, as it can be uncomfortable (at best) and dangerous (at worst) to “push” a process if pathways are not functioning optimally. Please email me at Julie@truenaturehealthconsulting.com if I may support your inquiry into the possible dark side effects of fluoride in your health. We provide holistic telehealth services.

(This article was updated with research in 2023 and republished from the original in March of 2021.)

The Dark Side of Fluoride: Skin Issues, Gut Disruption and Pineal Stress