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

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…

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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[–] Treczoks@lemmy.world 36 points 2 years ago (3 children)

Just another pest boil of the lack of scientific education in the US. Anti-Vaxx, Anti-Flouride, Anti-Science in general. Do you guys want to go back to the age of pilgrim fathers, or what?

[–] orrk@lemmy.world 17 points 2 years ago (2 children)

these people? dude they yearn for the "rural settler life" of course they want to go back to the good old, god fearing, sustenance farmers and factory workers

[–] Etterra@lemmy.world 15 points 2 years ago

And tooth rot. Like dental care isn't expensive and overlooked enough.

[–] Treczoks@lemmy.world 7 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Let them go back there, I won't stop them from being killed by preventable diseases, maimed by wild animals, and, most importantly, no phones and no internet.

[–] orrk@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago

o0h no, they arn't happy until EVERYONE has to live according to Pol Pot's vision (+church)

[–] SLVRDRGN@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago

Seriously though isn't that what making everything "great again" in this country is referring to?

[–] undergroundoverground@lemmy.world -2 points 2 years ago (2 children)

I mean, most western countries don't add fluoride to their water supply, as ingesting significant amounts of fluoride is bad for you. America is an outlier there, as far as I'm aware.

There's usually small amounts occurring naturally in water. However, we shouldn't be adding in more, as it's cytotoxic and were not supposed to injest it.

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

Western countries do add fluoride, but it's done regionally depending on natural fluoride content of local water (or, specifically, lack of it).