| In October 1999, the Radiation and Public Health | | | | for this elevation, but some factors could be that |
| Project (RPHP) released results of baby teeth | | | | they are located within 10 miles from a nuclear |
| examinations in an ongoing study called the "Tooth | | | | reactor and in the wind path of two other |
| Fairy Project." These results showed startling | | | | reactors. |
| levels of radioactive material Strontium-90 | | | | Nuclear Testing and Accidents: |
| (SR-90) in teeth of children born in Southern | | | | Another factor for high levels of radiation in this |
| Florida, New York and New Jersey in the 1980s. | | | | area could be nuclear accidents. In 1979, there |
| The levels were as high as during the 1950s when | | | | was a reactor accident in Pennsylvania, and even |
| aboveground nuclear testing was taking place. | | | | the 1986 Chernobyl disaster could have a biological |
| The effects of radiation: | | | | as well as an environmental affect on these |
| SR-90 has been linked to various forms of cancer | | | | findings. French and Chinese atmospheric testing |
| including leukemia, and is thought to be still present | | | | ceased in the 1980s which should have significantly |
| in the air, soil, water and food. Once assimilated | | | | reduced the SR-90 levels. |
| into the body, SR-90 destroys blood cells that | | | | Next steps |
| make up the immune system, and since the | | | | In an attempt to discover as much as possible |
| chemical structure is so similar to calcium, the | | | | about the risks of assimilating and passing on |
| body mistakenly concentrates it in the bones and | | | | SR-90, there has been an increasing sense of |
| teeth. | | | | urgency in requesting baby teeth from around the |
| It is believed that most of the SR-90 is | | | | country, so clearer scientific results can be |
| transferred from a mother to her fetus during | | | | obtained over the next two years. |
| pregnancy. Since the baby is so sensitive to | | | | Actor Alec Baldwin, who is on the board of |
| toxins, the SR-90 could cause serious problems. | | | | directors of Standing for Truth About Radiation |
| Although not yet proven, one New Jersey County | | | | (STAR), has spoken publicly to request families |
| reports that the occurrence of a rare childhood | | | | donate baby teeth with the hopes of obtaining at |
| cancer (rabdomyosarcoma, which affects the | | | | least 5,000 teeth from all over the country. |
| skeletal muscle) is 22 times higher than the | | | | What you can do? |
| national average. There could be many reasons | | | | |