| Our Appeal to Preserve Deciduous Teeth! To Everyone Across Japan |
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As a result of the TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi Power Plant accident, significant amounts of artificial radioactive materials were released into the environment, contaminating the atmosphere, waters (groundwater, rivers, lakes and marshes, oceans), soil on a global scale. At the Fukushima site, large amounts of groundwater continuously flow into the damaged containment buildings where it mixes with severely contaminated water and then runs off into the sea. One of the artificial radioactive materials released from the crippled Fukushima Power Plant is Strontium-90. Strontium-90 is absorbed into bones where it accumulates and is retained for decades. Sr-90 can cause leukemia, immunodeficiency and other non-cancer diseases. American studies have shown that Sr-90 concentrations in deciduous teeth correlate strongly with the incidence of cancer and leukemia in children. Atmospheric nuclear weapons tests performed in the 1950s to the 1960s, caused the release of artificial radionuclides, including Strontium-90. It was carried around the globe by atmospheric circulation and reached Japan, where Sr90 fallout was measured in various places in the country. Simultaneously, surveys of deciduous teeth were conducted, which showed that Sr90 levels in the teeth differed depending on the type of nutrition the infants received ?breast milk or formula or mixed (breast milk and formula)?. Similar research results were found in European and US countries. After the Fukushima catastrophe Japanese researchers conducted surveys on the distribution of artificial radionuclides in animals' bones and deciduous teeth. Results from those surveys showed that high levels of Strontium-90 were present especially in the teeth of young animals, such as cattle, pigs, field mice and monkeys. Furthermore, it became clear that Sr90 levels detected in the animals correlate with the contamination levels of their habitats. We are very much concerned at the strong possibility of the same thing happening to humans. However, neither the Japanese government nor the Oversight Committee for the Fukushima Health Management has conducted such surveys to determine Sr90 levels in deciduous teeth nor has either one responded to such requests. Moreover, they dismissed a link between the unprecedentedly high incidence of pediatric thyroid cancer in Fukushima. That is why we propose that you should keep your children's shed milk teeth. This is to keep a close watch on the health of your children. What we need now is to conduct thorough investigations on artificial radioactive materials spread from the crippled Fukushima Power Plant into the environment and to determine the health effects caused by them. As a matter of fact, we can determine the level of Sr90 absorbed into the body by measuring concentrations of Sr90 in deciduous teeth. Sr-90 will remain in the shed deciduous teeth for a long time since it has a half-life of 29 years. Deciduous teeth can provide important evidence to prove internal radiation exposure. We will discuss the findings of our surveys , which will be useful for monitoring and caring the health of children. Furthermore, applying the ''precautionary principle'' is vital: Primary prevention is to make sure that children will not be exposed further to any radiation. You can achieve this, by paying attention to your children's diet and their environment. Examine concentrations of Sr90 in foodstuff on the market and try to give them the least contaminated food. Secondary prevention is early detection of any disease and prevention of its further development by adopting an accurate, reliable health examination approach. To that end we are currently preparing and planning to set up facilities in two years' time. Then we will be able to determine levels of Sr90 in each deciduous tooth. Please support us to preserve the shed milk teeth together with the personal record cards. Let us all cooperate in order to protect the lives and the health of our children!
>>To print out the personal cards click here  *A receipt will be issued to each donor. *Collected deciduous teeth will be tagged and securely stored. |