this post was submitted on 14 Apr 2024

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As bans spread, fluoride in drinking water divides communities across the US (kffhealthnews.org)

submitted 2 years ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/news@lemmy.world

370 comments fedilink hide all child comments

…

It is a scenario playing out nationwide. From Oregon to Pennsylvania, hundreds of communities have in recent years either stopped adding fluoride to their water supplies or voted to prevent its addition. Supporters of such bans argue that people should be given the freedom of choice. The broad availability of over-the-counter dental products containing the mineral makes it no longer necessary to add to public water supplies, they say. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that while store-bought products reduce tooth decay, the greatest protection comes when they are used in combination with water fluoridation.

The outcome of an ongoing federal case in California could force the Environmental Protection Agency to create a rule regulating or banning the use of fluoride in drinking water nationwide. In the meantime, the trend is raising alarm bells for public health researchers who worry that, much like vaccines, fluoride may have become a victim of its own success.

The CDC maintains that community water fluoridation is not only safe and effective but also yields significant cost savings in dental treatment. Public health officials say removing fluoride could be particularly harmful to low-income families — for whom drinking water may be the only source of preventive dental care.

“If you have to go out and get care on your own, it’s a whole different ballgame,” said Myron Allukian Jr., a dentist and past president of the American Public Health Association. Millions of people have lived with fluoridated water for years, “and we’ve had no major health problems,” he said. “It’s much easier to prevent a disease than to treat it.”

According to the anti-fluoride group Fluoride Action Network, since 2010, over 240 communities around the world have removed fluoride from their drinking water or decided not to add it.

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[–] tal@lemmy.today 33 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (3 children)

That's the reason you can't drink raw milk or use lead gas.

You can get raw milk if your state allows it. The federal government bans it, but only has regulatory authority over interstate commerce, so it can't be moved across state boundaries, but you can get it if it's made in-state.

I mean, I think that you're mostly aiming to expose yourself to listeria, but if that's what someone wants...

My guess is that dairy farmers have an interest in promoting it in that if they can sell it, it gives them a market without much competition.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_raw_milk_debate

[–] Bluefalcon@discuss.tchncs.de 31 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)

Drinking milk was a bad example. I should have said sell unpasteurized milk. The point I think we both agree is that stupid for people make stupid decisions. Just like I don't think people can decide about vaccines that have very low risk rates. It effects everyone, not just the idiots.

[–] RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world 25 points 2 years ago (1 children)

If stupid people want to make stupid decisions, that’s fine. The problem is when they try to take the rest of society down with them via damage or converting others to that stupidity.

[–] Bluefalcon@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 2 years ago

That was my badly worded point. Other are effected by a few people with extra time.

[–] Ultragigagigantic@lemmy.world 6 points 2 years ago

You can drill your own well to get your own water, just like you can have a cow for raw milk.

[–] affiliate@lemmy.world 18 points 2 years ago (1 children)

can we compromise on drinking raw milk with flouride added?

[–] foggy@lemmy.world 14 points 2 years ago

Abortions for some, miniature American flags for others!

[–] somethingsnappy@lemmy.world 12 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Well, and TB.

[–] tal@lemmy.today 2 points 2 years ago

Some of the herd nobly chose to sacrifice itself to improve the genetic resistance of the whole.