CRITICS FIGHT FLUORIDATION PROPOSAL; OPPONENTS WARN OF DANGERS, BUT CITY OFFICIALS SAY PLAN IS SAFE.Byline: Deborah Sullivan Daily News Staff Writer As the city prepares to begin fluoridating its water, local members of a group opposed to fluoridation fluoridation (fl  r'ĭdā`shən), process of adding a fluoride to the water supply of a community to preserve the teeth of the inhabitants. are questioning the health risks of the procedure. The City Council on Friday will vote on awarding a contract for drinking water drinking water supply of water available to animals for drinking supplied via nipples, in troughs, dams, ponds and larger natural water sources; an insufficient supply leads to dehydration; it can be the source of infection, e.g. leptospirosis, salmonellosis, or of poisoning, e.g. chemicals, including fluoride. The city plans to add the fluorosilicic acid to its water supply in response to a 1995 state law requiring fluoridation. City officials said the fluoride levels involved are below state and federal safety maximum standards. However, several Valley residents protested the fluoridation plans, saying the chemical has negligible dental health benefits, and can cause cancer, learning disabilities and bone diseases. ``Published studies show increased hip fracture hip fracture Orthopedic surgery A femoral fracture which affects 1/6 white ♀–US during life Epidemiology 250,000/yr–US Specifics Proximal femur; 90+% femoral neck, intertrochanteric; 5-10% are subtrochanteric Risk factors Tall, thin ♀, rates, osteosarcomas in young men and fluorosis fluorosis /flu·o·ro·sis/ (fldbobr-ro´sis) 1. a condition due to ingestion of excessive amounts of fluorine. 2. in children,'' said Paul Borraccia, of Sherman Oaks, representing a San Diego-based group called Citizens for Safe Drinking Water. Osteosarcoma osteosarcoma /os·teo·sar·co·ma/ (os?te-o-sahr-ko´mah) a malignant primary neoplasm of bone composed of a malignant connective tissue stroma with evidence of malignant osteoid, bone, or cartilage formation; it is subclassified as is a form of bone cancer, and fluorosis is a discoloration dis·col·or·a·tion n. 1. a. The act of discoloring. b. The condition of being discolored. 2. A discolored spot, smudge, or area; a stain. Noun 1. of the teeth due to excess fluoride. Darlene Battle, spokeswoman for the Department of Water and Power, said the department reviewed state and federal health studies that showed no adverse health impacts from low levels of fluoride. ``For past 50 years or so, other cities across the country have been fluoridating the water, so we have studies going back 50 years showing that fluoridation does not pose a health risk,'' Battle said. The chemical will be added at treatment sites throughout the city, including the Los Angeles Aqueduct This article has multiple issues: * It needs to be expanded. Please help [ improve the article] or discuss these issues on the talk page. Filtration Plant in Sylmar, seven other existing sites and three new facilities, a council report states. The costs of flouride treatment the first year would be $7.5 million, and $1 million thereafter, Battle said. The vote was scheduled for Tuesday, but was postponed until Friday at the request of Councilwoman Ruth Galanter, who is chairwoman of the committee responsible for the plan but was absent at Tuesday's meeting. |
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