The damaging effects of dementia begin at a cellular level that researchers are still attempting to understand. In the search for causes, a greater look is being taken at human diet and the possible factors leading to the detriment of brain health. To this end, the focus has turned to water containing fluoride, which has been shown to lower children’s I.Q. scores. If fluoride has such an effect on the human brain, could it be possible that it is the driving force behind dementia?

Fluoride is an inorganic compound, and is found in the environment as a naturally occurring mineral in rocks, soil and water. In large doses, and depending upon an individual’s tolerance, fluoride may cause serious side effects. It has been determined through government research that excess fluoride remaining in the body collects in the tissues, and through scientific research that fluoride is responsible for chemical alterations in the brain.

Observation and research over the course of more than forty years made the connection between fluoride and healthy teeth. It was initially introduced into a Michigan public water supply in 1945, and then spread across the country as a means to prevent tooth decay. Safe levels of sodium fluoride for human consumption was established by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Research continues in the determination of the effects that fluoride has on the body’s physiological processes, especially in the brain. Fluoride is capable of causing chemical alterations in the brain and disrupting cellular activity. The production of free radicals, which are behind the weakening of brains as they age, are stimulated by fluoride.

Studies conducted where fluoride was administered to rats via their water source indicates that the brain increases its uptake of aluminum when fluoride is present. This is especially startling given that individuals who exhibited higher levels of aluminum within their brains were at an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

Of interest is also the evidence that substantial cellular damage occurred in the hippocampus region of the rats’ brains. When this occurs, learning and memory are affected. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, the hippocampus is the initial area of the brain to be affected by the disease, which is why dementia is one of the first symptoms noticed in individuals suffering from it.

The evidence presented thus far seems to indicate that adding fluoride to tap water has serious implications on brain health. However, further research is needed to conclusively identify fluoride as the major factor in the prevalence of many illnesses, including dementia. It is best to remember that correlation does not always equal causation.

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