Fluoride to be added to drinking water, what does this mean for your skin?
One of the leading culprits of my struggling skin was fluoride. I will set the scene for you, many many years ago I had my first irritation after getting off a plane in Namibia after using a retinol by a well known brand a few days prior. I had no idea what was happening and hoped it would go away, we were working there for around month then would be returning back to London. It didn’t go away and at this time my knowledge on how skin was related to what was happening inside my body was low, I tried around 20-50 products ranging from £ to ££££.
(Knowing what I know now, the retinol was far too strong for my skin, which damaged the acid mantle the protective barrier on my skin leaving it vulnerable)
I hit the blogs, after falling down a really big hole I discovered what I was experiencing was Perioral dermatitis (Il call it PD from now on). Super fun, it appeared for me as red flakey, itchy, sore, blistered skin around my mouth and nose. I had used regular toothpaste for years and not really thought about it. I read from so many sufferers that using a non fluoride toothpaste had cleared up their PD, I gave it a go. Some of them really don’t resemble ‘normal’ toothpaste but we found 2 brands we loved one, Davids the other Dr Bronners which we still use.
Learning more and more, around the skin, body & mind connection I learnt that the triggers are with most things multi factorial. Mine were stress, sugar, fluoride. I began addressing as many of these as I had control began treating my skin with kindness, working to restore the health of my skin, it was during this time the kyushi cleansing oil was born, and yay it went away. I had read that didn’t leave me though, once you have PD you are always sensitive to it and it might come back if triggered. Great.
Cut to 3 years later we move to Los Angeles in California to work on a movie. Super exciting. Around 2 weeks in PD rears its ugly head this time worse than before, the research began again. What was triggering it, we spent a lot of time in the desert where you could smell the chemicals in the water as it poured from the tap. My skin was raw, stinging, my eyes would be bright red if I used it to wash my face, as time went on the reaction was as bad in the city. As a makeup artist this was less than ideal. I was became so low that I went on a very low dose of roaccutane, I took it for 3 weeks, my anxiety continued to heighten, my mood began to plummet further and my skin was feeling dry, sensitive and very thin, hats off to any of you on a high dose, it wasn’t for me. We decided enough was enough, and we would try and figure it out on a different path.
Finding a solution not in your own home wasn’t ideal, we started travelling with a Vitamin C shower filter and the various tools so we could change it this was to remove Chlorine & various other chemicals from the water which happened to be a god send for my hair too.
Daily red light therapy was a must, clean natural makeup brands. It got a bit better but I battled with it until we got back to the UK to ‘cleaner’ water or at least water my skin had known. Before I move onto our set up in our home, I wanted to touch on my point of sharing this story with you, there was a headline in the Guardian newspaper this week “Fluoride will be added to UK drinking water to cut tooth decay” this has created many questions in my DMs and inbox re the effects on our skin & health in general. Firstly I am not a scientist, nor a medical professional, I am a certified Health Coach & Facialist I can only speak from personal experience and the experiences of my clients. I have pulled various pieces of information for you to read, and urge you to do your own research and find the best solution for you and your family.
“Within the Uk there are already some counties that have had an increase of Fluoride added to the water. Parts of Bedfordshire, North Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire - we’re required to raise fluoride levels (a process called fluoridation) to one milligram per litre.” Anglian Water
(You can find the guidelines of how much is deemed safe over on the World Health Organisation website here.)
Widespread fluoridation schemes could be approved from later next year, although the exact timescale depends on the progress of the health bill through parliament. Javid’s team is waiting until it becomes law before working up detailed proposals, which ministers have promised will go to a public consultation. Taxpayers will pick up the costs, expected to cost in the region of £10 million a year.” The Times
What actually is Fluoride?
“Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral found in water and some foods. The amount of naturally occurring fluoride in water varies across the UK due to geological differences. Water fluoridation schemes involve adding fluoride to community drinking water supplies in areas of low natural fluoride. Water fluoridation is not a substitute for good oral hygiene, regular dental check-ups and limiting sugar intake but it has an effect even when those are absent.” (gov.co.uk)
Where can you generally find Fluoride?
In toothpaste & Mouthwash you can also find it in Cleaning products, pesticides, and to make steel, teflon & aluminium products.
“Why is it controversial?
Opposition has been vocal since fluoridation began in the US in 1945 on the grounds of practicality and principle. Some believe it is unethical to give people a preventive treatment without their consent, or believe the government has no business tampering with the water supply. Others believe tooth decay should be a purely personal responsibility. There are also concerns that the dose people receive is hard to control and could lead to side effects.” The Times
So what does this mean for your skin?
While perioral dermatitis (also called periorificial dermatitis) may sound like technical jargon, it’s easy to understand once you break it down. Perioral means “near your mouth,” and dermatitis refers to a rash that is typically red, scaly, or bumpy in appearance.
This rash is not contagious but may be accompanied by itching, burning, or discomfort. It typically occurs around your mouth but can also affect other areas on your head, like your eyes, nose, neck, or scalp.
The exact cause of perioral dermatitis is unknown, but its risk factors may include:
Use of topical steroids, inhaled steroids, facial moisturiser, fluoride toothpaste, and chewing gum
Being female and between 25 to 45 years old
Hormonal fluctuations and contraceptives
Issues with microorganisms (like bacteria and pathogens), particularly in your skin or gut
Immune disorders
Stress
It’s a safe bet to discontinue the use of topical steroids and toothpaste with fluoride to avoid a rash on your rash. The best toothpaste for perioral dermatitis is any non-abrasive toothpaste that contains no fluoride.” (Colgate)
“Fluoride is the only chemical added to drinking water for medicinal purposes. All other chemicals that are added to water are intended to treat the water by improving its quality and safety. Fluoride has no such effect on water.
Ninety-seven percent of western Europe has eliminated fluoride from drinking water because it mandates compulsory medication. Swallowing fluoride also has minimal benefit. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention note that fluoride's effect is delivered through topical application and not through ingestion.
The American Dental Association notes that some people will have an allergic reaction to the fluoride in toothpaste. Contact dermatitis is a common reaction for someone with a fluoride allergy to get from using fluoridated toothpaste. If you think you have a toothpaste allergy because your tongue has strange reactions, talk to your doctor to determine if it is a fluoride allergy.”
Just a little further reading":
Countries that do not fluoridate their water have also seen big drops in the rate of cavities.
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/magazine/magazine_article/fluoridated-drinking-water/
What can you do?
So there are arguments for and against, wherever you sit on the fence it’s happening so what can you do?
Filter your drinking water, not all water filters filter Fluoride (try saying that quickly!) so do double check
A whole house filter, this will filter your drinking water and the water you bathe in.
A shower head filter and tap filter.
Switch to fluoride free toothpaste if you haven’t already and are prone to sensitive skin or inflammatory skin conditions.
I’m always here to answer any skin & wellness questions or at least point you in the right direction. So do pop into my inbox and ask away.
Sending Love
Alice