Water Fluoridation Debate

>> fluoride water> So... tap water? Most countries add flouride to their tap water because it improves dental health. Unless you're a redneck screaming about alien mind control, that isn't some crazy scary chemical compound.There are legitimate sources [1] today that are questioning the utility of adding fluoride to tap water. Questioning the utility and healthfulness of chemicals added to tap water should not be taboo or related to conspiracy theories.[1] <a href="h

There was article in The Atlantic a few months ago about fluoride in water not probably works, but isn't particularly well-studied, and long-term side effects aren't really understood. At least with fluoride, it's so widespread that you'd expect any serious issues to have surfaced by now.https://www.theatlantic.com&

Lots of people across the world don't have fluoride in their water, you could compare populations right now.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_fluoridation_by_country

there is not a consensus on fluoride in drinking water. see the intro here (this particular paper concludes fluoride is overall good):https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/full/10.1086/711915

In the UK at least some areas have fluoridated water, despite almost all toothpaste being fluoridated. I suppose it most benefits the minority of people who do not brush their teeth. That benefit has to be balanced[1] against some evidence of risk.IMO the right fix is better dental hygiene, and a better (less sugary) diet. These are in turn are in part symptomatic of other problems (poverty, long working hours with regards to lack of supervision of children).[1] <a href="https://

> As the saying goes, the dose makes the poison, and this is already extremely well-known for fluorineOf course this ignores the fact that it is impossible to adjust the dosage for everyone since everyone has a different level of consumption of the water source that we have "spiked". We are essentially medicating people without telling them and it is quite arbitrary. Not to even mention, we are exposing people who boil their water before they drink to higher concentrations etc.<p

Despite people knowing about the effectiveness of brushing teeth with fluoride toothpaste, there are benefits (less cavities in young people) to having a certain level of fluoride in the water. Presumably, not everyone is good at brushing their teeth, yet we can improve dental health by adding in some fluoride in those areas that have low or no fluoride naturally in their water supply.

What is the scientific evidence for water fluoridation?

While it is typically railed against by crackpots, it also shouldn't be assumed to be safe/correct. We've been adding flouride to water for a long time, without much understanding of the risks, benefits, or proper dosage. Here's an article from the atlantic (not a crackpot news source) which goes into detail: https://w

The key issue with water fluoridation is that you can't control the dose. There's not really a strong consensus among countries whether it's optimal to add fluoride to drinking water, otherwise it would probably be the default choice everywhere. But we have better modern interventions that are just as effective: school-based dental care!