Ask Lemmy

For a municipal supply it's worth the effort, it improves oral health for a whole community at the cost of some fluoride and a dosimeter. For a private supply it's not worth it. Fluoridated toothpaste and mouthwash will give you a good dose of fluoride.

Fluoride is great in toothpaste. Kills the germs and sterilises the gums.

I fought our Council to stop fluoride being added to our water here in Southampton in the UK about 10 years ago. I asked questions about whether gastrointestinal doctors had been consulted and what the effects were on the rest of the body, the bones etc. Nobody could answer. At the time I found that worrying. I am pro-vaccination, pro-science. I pointed out the severe lack of dentists that even kids dont any longer have access to at the time (it has since become far worse). Without actual dentists people lose the influence they provide as well as the treatment.

Chlorine chemistry is added to water to treat the water. Fluorine is added to treat the person. And to me that sounded like medication with no opt out (other than moving home). People should have a right to chose what they dont want to put in their bodies, even if it is technically slightly harmful in the long term (even nutrients). Science is learning that over sterilisation of other parts of the body (eg the skin) can affect the health. What we need is far, far more data on those that do have these water additions to see what happens to the populations health.

Swede here. I'm a bit confused by the whole flouride thing in the US.

We don't add flouride in the water. At least not in amounts needed to get better tooth health.

Almost everyone users toothpaste with fluoride. The concentration is 1000ppm in toothpaste for children (below 6 years of age) and 1450ppm in toothpaste for children (6 years and older) and grown-ups.

We also used to have mandatory sessions with the "fluoride lady" in school. We all had to bring our toothbrush to school and got to dip it in a fluoride solution (mouthwash I presume) and brush our teeth while the fluoride lady pointed at a large scale model of teeth and gums. All kids were a little bit afraid of the fluoride ladies. I'm not sure if it's still mandatory today, but I think a lot of schools (1st to 3rd grade maybe?) still has this on the schedule once a year.

Sweden has got a history of focus on tooth health since we have cheap healthcare (was free 50 years ago. Times are harder now so we pay $10-$13 per night at a hospital. Life is so hard! 😉) and bad tooth health is the cause of a lot of other health issues. Which in the end would cost our state medical insurance a lot more than fixing tooth health.

For the one with waaaaat too much time on their hands, Sweden has done some pretty dark shit in the name of "for the greater good". Google a documentary about the Vipeholm experiments if you want to know more about one of the reasons to how the world knows so much about tooth decay.

There's a Sawbones episode on fluoride and its effects on teeth (and why it's good for you), if you like to be educated and entertained at the same time, I highly recommend listening to it! Great podcast.

And yes, fluoride is good for adult teeth, too.

This is the wrong question.

You should be asking, "While flouride helps other people, does it hurt me or is it all-good?"

Because, really, that's the only part that matters.

Do you even know how much fluoride is in your water? Sometimes it's naturally high, that's how they figured out it was good for your teeth.

Yes, the benefit doesn’t vary by age. Flouridated water prevents cavities throughout your life.

Chances are unless you're actively trying to avoid it the toothpaste you use has it already. I'm not aware of any particular benefits or detriments to having it in the water supply versus the more direct application route.

I'm about to install a reverse osmosis water filter because I want less PFOS (and other crap) in me. I understand this will also get rid of most of the fluoride.

I assume we'll be fine because we brush or use fluoride mouthwash daily. But I'd like to hear if anyone thinks otherwise. I'm not opposed to fluoride in water, just wondering how much downside there is to not having it in my water when we do use fluoride otherwise.

https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/10/8/2885

Edit: since when is sharing scientific knowledge a reason for downvoting? It's not relevant??