Water fluoridation

{{bronze}}
{{conspiracynav}}
{{cquote|Do you realize that fluoridation is the most monstrously conceived and dangerous [[communist]] plot we have ever had to face?|||General Jack D. Ripper in ''[[Dr. Strangelove]]'', shortly before [[Nuclear war|blowing the world to kingdom come]]<ref name=strangelove/>}}

Since its inception in the 1940s, the scientifically sound concept of '''fluoridating [[water]]''' has been a source of [[Fear-mongering|fear and suspicion]] in the minds of [[conspiracy theorist]]s.

Water is fluoridated by adding a small quantity (up to 2 mg/l) of a fluoride salt of [[fluorine]]. Fluoride works by converting the outer layer of tooth enamel made of hydroxylapatite, Ca<sub>5</sub>(PO<sub>4</sub>)<sub>3</sub>OH, to fluoroapatite, Ca<sub>5</sub>(PO<sub>4</sub>)<sub>3</sub>F.  The latter chemical is less soluble in acidic solutions. The three most commonly added fluoride chemicals are sodium fluoride (NaF), fluorosilicic acid ((H<sub>3</sub>O)<sub>2</sub>SiF<sub>6</sub>), and sodium fluorosilicate (Na<sub>2</sub>[SiF<sub>6</sub>]).<ref>[http://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/13103 Water Fluoridation: A Manual For Engineers and Technicians], CDC</ref> Fluorosilicic acid is a byproduct of phosphate fertilizer manufacture, a fact which fluoride opponents repeat [[Reductio ad absurdum|ad absurdum]] in an attempt to [[Scare tactic|scare you]].<ref>[http://fluoridealert.org/issues/water/fluoridation-chemicals/ Fluoride Action Network: Fluoridation Chemicals]</ref>

In short: the issue has been extensively studied since the 1940s. As a result, every reputable public health organization endorses the benefits of fluoridation. To date, no such organizations have endorsed claims that fluoride is a secret communist [[Mind control|mind-control]] plot&nbsp;— though we wait with bated breath.

==History of fluoridation==
[[File:H-Trendley-Dean.jpeg|thumb|right|170px|{{wpl|Henry Trendley Dean}} {{lived|1893|1962}}, dentist and epidemiologist, researched and advocated for water fluoridation.]]
{{cquote|I go to the [[dentist]] every six months, I get a cleaning, so… I'm fortunate enough that those fluoride treatments as a child worked. Not getting any cavities.|||{{wpl|Daniel Tosh||,}} being serious for once<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1169495/quotes/ Daniel Tosh: Quotes] ''IMDb''.</ref>}}
There are five periods concerning the history of water fluoridation:

#Before 1933, the study of mottled tooth enamel, later known as fluorosis.<ref>{{wpa|History of water fluoridation}}</ref> Researchers noticed reduced dental caries in communities with naturally-occurring fluoride in the drinking water, in places such as [[Colorado]] and [[India]].
#From 1933 to 1945, the study of the relationship between fluorine and tooth decay. No, it was ''not'' in [[Godwin's Law|Nazi Germany]].<ref>[http://www.politifact.com/florida/statements/2011/oct/06/critics-water-fluoridation/truth-about-fluoride-doesnt-include-nazi-myth/ Critics of water fluoridation… Say water fluoridation started in Nazi Germany ghettos and death camps to pacify the Jews.] by Becky Bowers (October 6, 2011) ''PolitiFact''.</ref>
#From 1945 onward, which focused on deployment of water fluorides, creating pretty [[rainbows]] in garden sprinklers <ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_c6HsiixFS8 Sprinkler Rainbow Conspiracy] by copstack (Aug 5, 2008) ''YouTube''.</ref>&nbsp;… which definitely weren't there before and ''certainly'' are not caused by the refraction of [[light]].
#From the 1940s to 2024, widespread community water fluoridation began in earnest in the 1940s in the [[United States]]. One last bastion of hope for modern anti-fluoridationists has been the city of Portland, [[Oregon]]. As of 2012, only 3 of the 50 largest metropolitan cities in the United States had unfluoridated municipal water, the other two were San Jose, [[California]] and Wichita, [[Kansas]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20220120101518/http://www.wda.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/US-Cities-Fluoridation.pdf Water Fluoridation Status of the 50 Largest Cities in the United States] (May 2012) ''Wisconsin Dental Association'' (archived from January 20, 2022).</ref> This was despite four popular vote attempts to add fluoride to Portland's water.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20131222224115/http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/but-not-simpler/2013/05/22/why-portland-is-wrong-about-water-fluoridation/ Why Portland Is Wrong About Water Fluoridation] by Kyle Hill (May 22, 2013) ''Scientific American'' (archived from December 22, 2013).</ref> In 2020, San Jose finally decided to fluoridate its water.<ref>[https://healthjournalism.org/blog/2017/01/san-jose-calif-no-longer-nations-largest-city-without-fluoridated-drinking-water/ San Jose, Calif., no longer nation’s largest city without fluoridated drinking water] by Mary Otto (January 3, 2017) ''Association of Health Care Journalists''</ref>
#:In the [[United States]], the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) of 1974 confers the authority for ensuring the safety of public drinking water to the [[Environmental Protection Agency]] (EPA).<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20111130175127/http://water.epa.gov/drink/contaminants/basicinformation/fluoride.cfm Basic Information about Fluoride in Drinking Water] ''United States Environmental Protection Agency'' (archived from Novmeber 30, 2011).</ref><ref>[https://archive.ph/wip/Q1p2v Fact Sheet: Fluoride in Drinking Water] (1993) ''National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP)'' (archived from 3 Jul 2025 05:51:57 UTC).</ref>
#All that progress on reducing dental caries began to be rolled back at the beginning of the [[kook]]-o-cene with Trump's inauguration and his appointment of [[Robert F. Kennedy Jr.]] (RFK) as the head of the Department of Health and Human Services. In June 2025, RFK announced that he intended to direct the [[Centers for Disease Control]] (CDC) to cease recommending water fluoridation, contrary to American Dental Association advice.<ref>[https://adanews.ada.org/ada-news/2025/april/rfk-jr-to-tell-cdc-to-change-fluoride-guidelines/ RFK Jr. to tell CDC to change fluoride guidelines: ADA reaffirms support of practice] by Olivia Anderson (April 09, 2025) ''ADA News''.</ref> In that month, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin also announced that the agency would review "new science" regarding fluoride safety.<ref>[https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-will-expeditiously-review-new-science-fluoride-drinking-water EPA Will Expeditiously Review New Science on Fluoride in Drinking Water] (April 7, 2025) ''United States Environmental Protection Agency''.</ref> In anticipation of the imminent kook-o-cene, [[Utah]] became the first US state to ever ban fluoridation in May 2025,<ref>[https://www.npr.org/2025/05/11/nx-s1-5391507/utah-becomes-first-state-to-make-it-illegal-to-add-fluoride-to-public-drinking-water Utah becomes first state to make it illegal to add fluoride to public drinking water] (May 11, 20258:08 AM ET) ''National Public Radio''.</ref> followed a few days later by [[Florida]].<ref>[https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/florida-becomes-second-state-ban-fluoride-public-water-rcna205127 Florida becomes second state to ban fluoride in public water. Gov. Ron DeSantis called the fluoridation of water "forced medication," saying it violates "informed consent."] by Mirna Alsharif (May 15, 2025, 12:57 PM PDT) ''NBC News''.</ref>

==Arguments for fluoridation==
Centralized fluoridation is a safe, simple, and effective way to improve the dental health of the population at large (especially [[children]] in the 
candy
 cavity-prone years). It is also extremely cost-effective: one study estimated that for every $1 a city invested in fluoridation it saved the average citizen (with a mean dental health cost) $38 on dental care.<ref>[http://www.politifact.com/oregon/statements/2012/aug/23/nick-fish/do-cities-really-save-38-every-1-they-spend-fluori/ Do cities really save $38 for every $1 they spend on fluoridation?] by Ian K. Kullgren (August 23, 2012) ''PolitiFact''.</ref> The CDC considerd water fluoridation to be one of the top 10 public health advances of the 20<sup>th</sup> century,<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20170308195408/http://www.cdc.gov/about/history/tengpha.htm Ten Great Public Health Achievements in the 20th Century] (April 26, 2013) ''Centers for Disease Control and Prevention'' (archived from March 8, 2017).</ref><ref>[http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm4841a1.htm Achievements in Public Health, 1900-1999: Fluoridation of Drinking Water to Prevent Dental Caries] (October 22, 1999) ''Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention'' 48(41);933-940.</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20150414194016/http://www.cdc.gov/fluoridation/benefits/ Community Water Fluoridation] (September 23, 2013) ''Centers for Disease Control and Prevention'' (archived from April 14, 2015).</ref> at least until RFK opened his pie hole. The American Dental Association "unreservedly endorses the fluoridation of community water supplies as safe, effective and necessary in preventing tooth decay."<ref>[https://www.ada.org/resources/community-initiatives/fluoride-in-water Fluoride in water] ''American Dental Association''. In section "ADA policy on fluoridation".</ref> The World Health Organization stated that "fluoridation of water supplies, where possible, is the most effective public health measure for the prevention of dental decay."<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20040801144109/http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/oralhealth/en/index2.html Water Fluoridation] by Rosalind Stanwell Smith (May 2002) ''World Health Organization''.</ref>

Having been around for 70-odd years and having been the focus of much research, water fluoridation has been studied <i>to death</i> (the number of studies seems to have peaked around the late 1960s followed by a general decline<ref>[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=water+fluoridation PubMed] has over six thousand citations to studies regarding water fluoridation, and this is by no means a complete registry of every study ever done.</ref><ref>Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Last Updated May 12, 2015. [https://www.cdc.gov/fluoridation/safety/systematic.htm Scientific Reviews and Reports: Assessing the Evidence]. Retrieved March 20, 2017.</ref><ref>Yeung, Ca. ''PubMed''. [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18584000 A systematic review of the efficacy and safety of fluoridation.] Retrieved March 20, 2017. This is one systematic review on the many, many studies done.</ref>). Arguments along the lines of "[[Moving the goalposts|the jury is out]]" or "[[Uncertainty tactic|the science is incomplete]]" are wrong. Thousands of studies and years of actual implementation have not upset the [[scientific consensus]].

As a rule, dentists do not want to see patients with more severe dental problems due to lack of fluoridation, which can be so bad as to require general anesthesia for treatment.<ref name=viveros/> Dentists are in the business of prevention and of helping patients.
{{cquote|It's always sad seeing a young child in pain. Dental decay is very preventable. It breaks your heart to see these young kids that aren’t able to eat.|||Warren Loeppky, dentist in Calgary, [[Canada]], where fluoridation was curtailed in 2011<ref name=viveros>[https://www.sciencenews.org/article/fluoride-drinking-water-dental-health Two cities stopped adding fluoride to water. Science reveals what happened. Calgary, Canada, and Juneau, Alaska, show how ending fluoridation can affect health] by Alex Viveros (April 28, 2025 at 11:00 am) ''Science News''.</ref>}}

Calgary removed fluoride from its drinking water in 2011 by vote of the city council, and reinstated it by citywide vote in 2021 (62% in favor). This gave epidemiologists a chance to compare schoolchildren Calgary to the comparable city of Edmonton, which did have fluoridation, during this period. They found that 65% of the second-graders in Calgary who had likely never been exposed to fluoride had tooth decay compared to 55% in Edmonton.<ref name=viveros/> In a separate study of Juneau, before and after fluoridation ceased, dental [[Medicaid]] claims rose from 1.5 treatments/child to 2.5 treatments/child after fluoridation ceased.<ref name=viveros/>

==Standard arguments against fluoridation==
[[File:Fluoridated-water-extent-world.svg|thumb|right|600px|The global extent of water fluoridation, both natural and added (where known), as of 2012.
{{collist|3|
{{legend|#aa0000|80–100%|border=1px solid #aaa}}
{{legend|#ff0000|60–80%|border=1px solid #aaa}}
{{legend|#ff8080|40–60%|border=1px solid #aaa}}
{{legend|#ffaaaa|20–40%|border=1px solid #aaa}}
{{legend|#ffd5d5|&nbsp;&nbsp;1–20%|border=1px solid #aaa}}
{{legend|#ffffff|< 1%|border=1px solid #aaa}}
{{legend|#b9b9b9|unknown|border=1px solid #aaa}}}}]]
{{main|PRATT}}
Most of [[Denialism|the arguments against fluoridation]] are based on [[Morality|ethical and moral]] issues, namely that water fluoridation is medicating large numbers of people without their explicit consent. Curiously, they don't typically complain about regulations that add "drugs" to other foods, like iodine added to [[salt]], [[vitamin D]] added to [[milk]], iron added to cereal, or folic acid (vitamin B<sub>9</sub>) added to flour.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20130826151126/http://www.dietitians.ca/Dietitians-Views/Food-Regulation-and-Labelling/Food-Fortification.aspx Food Fortification] ''Dietitians of Canada'' (archived from August 26, 2013).</ref> 

Despite fluoride's natural occurrence in food and water,<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20150424053026/http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/naturalhazards/en/index2.html Naturally occurring hazards: Fluoride] ''World Health Organization'' (archived from April 24, 2015).</ref> a common argument against it is the [[appeal to nature]]. Most health effect arguments against water fluoridation (such as [[Toxin|toxicity]] and mottled teeth) base their assumptions on much higher doses of fluoride than are allowed in municipal tap water and the excessive [[cherry-picking]] of studies. Additional studies on links between fluoride and [[cancer]], and fluoride and bone fractures have been shown to be invalid.<ref name="Healthgov">[https://web.archive.org/web/20080420050900/http://www.health.gov/environment/ReviewofFluoride/default.htm Review of Fluoride: Benefits and Risks] (February 1991) ''Public Health Service, Department of Health and Human Services'' (archived from April 20, 2008).</ref> Other arguments are based on the [[straw man|false assumption]] that if fluoridation worked, [[Nirvana fallacy|there would be no tooth decay]]. 

The favourite adverse effect of the anti-fluoride crowd, {{wpl|dental fluorosis||,}} is a scary-sounding but rather benign condition in which the teeth become slightly stained. It is a purely cosmetic issue that does not lead to tooth decay, whereas removing fluoride from water ''does'' if individuals do not brush their teeth regularly. In all but the most severe cases, the mottling is barely noticeable, and it's only significant in children whose teeth have not finished developing. By comparison, drinking a lot of [[coffee]] or tea can also make your teeth yellow, though this is reversible. Dental fluorosis is a potential risk, but is not problematic if the [[Dose makes the poison|dosage is controlled]]. Drinking water with fluoride above "safe dosages", such as that found in some natural ground water wells in developing countries or in brick teas exposed to excessively fluorinated water, can also cause a more serious condition called {{wpl|skeletal fluorosis||.}}

===="But the EPA opposes fluoridation!"====
Deniers will typically claim 1,500+ EPA scientists are opposed to fluoridation.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20050204000914/http://www.fluoridation.com/epa2.htm Why EPA'S Headquarters Union of Scientists Opposes Fluoridation] (May 1, 1999) ''Fluoridation.com'' (archived from February 4, 2005).</ref> Upon closer inspection, however, this "study" is actually just a grievance letter written in 1999 by J. William Hirzy, Ph.D. on the letterhead of his local National Treasury Employees Union Chapter 280. The letter&nbsp;— far from representing the views of 1,500 scientists (the union represents ''all'' employees, which includes non-scientists such as lawyers<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20250405190542/https://nteu280.org/history/ History of NTEU Chapter 280] ''National Treasury Employees Union Chapter 280'' (archived from April 5, 2025).</ref>)&nbsp;— is really the result of a poorly attended meeting of one local union chapter. With only 20 of said union chapter members in attendance, Hirzy and his followers were able to adopt a resolution opposing fluoridation. When it became obvious to the wider union that Hirzy and his local chapter were falsely presenting their [[fringe]] position as representing the view of the entire union, the chapter officers who ''actually'' represented the majority of the members rapidly disowned Hirzy's position.<ref>[http://www.in.gov/isdh/24525.htm#Does_the_US_EPA_oppose_water_fluoridation Questions and Answers about Fluoridation: Does the U.S. EPA oppose water fluoridation?] ''Indiana Department of Health''.</ref> After the above incident, Hirzy seems to have gone on to become the deniers' [[Crank|go-to guy]].<ref>[https://openparachute.wordpress.com/tag/hirzy/ Anti-fluoride authors indulge in data manipulation and statistical porkies] by Ken Perrott (March 12, 2017) ''Open Parachute, WordPress''.</ref>

===="But the National Research Council opposes fluoridation!"====
Deniers will [[hand wave]] to a 2006 500+ page report by the NRC's Committee Report on Fluoride in Drinking Water<ref name=nrc>[http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11571/fluoride-in-drinking-water-a-scientific-review-of-epas-standards ''Fluoride in Drinking Water: A Scientific Review of EPA's Standards''] by the National Research Council (2006) The National Academies Press. doi:10.17226/11571.</ref> and claim that it opposes fluoridation, and of course such claims will be accompanied by cherry-picked [[scare quotes]].<ref>[http://fluoridealert.org/researchers/nrc/ National Research Council (2006)] ''Fluoride Action Network''.</ref> The study makes no claims against water fluoridation. The report merely reviews the evidence for safe levels. Science does that from time to time because it is appropriate to review safe consumption levels given changes in [[Technology|technologies]] and lifestyles. The report gives no support to fluoridation deniers as it suggests that up to 2.0 ppm is a safe level in drinking water. Most public water is fluoridated at a 0.7 ppm level, a third of what the NRC determined was still a safe level. In response to the misuse of the report, the report's chair has stated, "I do not believe there is any valid, scientific reason for fearing adverse health conditions from the consumption of water fluoridated at the optimal level."<ref>[http://www.ilikemyteeth.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Doull-Email-on-CWF-March-2013.pdf Email from John Doull to Matt Jacob et al. Re: NRC Report findings and Adverse effect at 1 ppm] (March 22, 2013) ''Campaign for Dental Health''.</ref>

===="But the World Health Organization opposes fluoridation!"====
Deniers will make various claims that the World Health Organization (WHO) opposes fluoridation. By way of evidence they will point to various WHO publications about the need to remove fluoride from water.<ref>[https://archive.ph/qMSD2 How to Remove Fluoride from Drinking Water] ''World Health Organization – Regional office for Africa'' (archived from 18 May 2016 17:46:30 UTC).</ref> Deniers miss that these guides are for people living in areas where there's a dangerous concentration in the local drinking water due to natural sources and a government unable to fund the technology to reduce it to a safe level. Deniers miss the notion that [[The dose makes the poison|everything is poisonous in high enough concentrations]]. For example, vitamin A is critical to human health but a human (typically a child) can realistically poison himself/herself by consuming too much.<ref>[http://www.ewg.org/research/how-much-is-too-much/up-to-half-of-young-children-get-too-much-vitamin-zinc-and-niacin How Much is Too Much? Excess Vitamins and Minerals in Food Can Harm Kids’ Health] ''Environmental Working Group''.</ref> The 2016 revision, ''Fluoride and Oral Health'', of a 1994 WHO report both clearly support fluoridation for populations that would benefit from it.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20210202064001/http://who.int/oral_health/publications/2016_fluoride_oral_health.pdf Fluoride and Oral Health] by D. M. O’Mullane et al. (2016) ''Community Dental Health'' 33:69-99, doi:10.1922/CDH_3707O’Mullane31.</ref><ref>[https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/39746/WHO_TRS_846.pdf ''Fluorides and Oral Health: Report of a WHO Expert Committee on Oral Health Status and Fluoride Use''] (1994) World Health Organization. ISBN 9241208465.</ref>

===="But a bunch of Western European countries oppose fluoridation!"====
Deniers will typically list nations that do not fluoridate their water.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20060213233226/http://www.slweb.org/50reasons.html 50 Reasons to Oppose Fluoridation] by Paul Connett (2002) ''Second Look'' (archived from February 13, 2006).</ref> Mostly they're Western European nations, which lends their position a gloss of respectability because, you know, apparently Western Europeans have their shit together. What opponents ignore is water fluoridation is a public health measure created to benefit the [[poor]]<ref>[https://www.cda-adc.ca/jcda/vol-66/issue-11/592.html The Ethics of Water Fluoridation] by Mary McNally & Jocelyn Downie (2000) ''J. Can. Dent. Assoc.'' 66:592-593.</ref> without means to access dentists. They typically list nations such as [[Sweden]], [[Finland]], [[Denmark]], etc., which have low-to-no levels of municipal water fluoridation (<20%) rather than outright national bans.<ref name=bycountry>{{wpa|Water fluoridation by country}}</ref> It goes without saying these nations provide excellent [[universal health care]] regardless of family income, including free access to dental care for children. Most of these nations have dental care and surveillance at the school level.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120607012349/https://www.fyidenmark.com/dentalcare.html Dental Care in Denmark] ''FYI Denmark'' (archived from June 7, 2012).</ref>  In addition to better access to childhood dental care, many of these nations&nbsp;— for example, [[Switzerland]], [[Germany]], and [[France]]&nbsp;— don't fluoridate their water because they fluoridate their table [[salt]].<ref name=bycountry/>

===="But the freakin' Nazis fluoridated the water in their death camps!"====
{{main|Nazi analogies}}
[[File:Nazi Fluoride Tank.gif|thumb|This wonderful fluoride tank, with some help from its [[chemtrail]] friends, is busy subjugating the death camp populations, including the one where giants drowned and were tossed into the water (as pictured here). Don't bother it!]]
This is one of those wonderful examples of an unsourced [[anecdote]] mentioned once that gets repeated as fact for decades. The suggestion is the [[Nazis]] fluoridated the water to pacify the [[Concentration camp|death camp]] populations. Apparently {{wpl|starvation||,}} soldiers with guns, and machine gun towers that would mow you down if you got too close to the fence were not enough to mollify the death camp population. They needed to drug them up. The claim is generally attributed to an early denier named Charles E. Perkins who wrote a book called ''The Truth about Water Fluoridation''.<ref>''The Truth about Water Fluoridation'' by Charles Eliot Perkins (1952) Fluoridation Educational Society.</ref> The claim is that Perkins' source was a worker at a [[German]] chemical company that ostensibly supplied fluoride. However, [[PolitiFact]] refutes the Perkins' claim.<ref>[http://www.politifact.com/florida/statements/2011/oct/06/critics-water-fluoridation/truth-about-fluoride-doesnt-include-nazi-myth/ Truth about fluoride doesn't include Nazi myth] by Becky Bowers (October 6, 2011) ''PolitiFact''.</ref> Perkins' book makes no mention of this. However, some have alleged that he wrote a follow-on letter that made this claim.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20130622235047/http://skepticalvegan.com:80/2013/03/07/water-fluoridation-a-communist-plot/ Water Fluoridation: A Communist Plot?] ''Skeptical Vegan'' (archived from June 22, 2013).</ref> Suffice it to say there's zero documentation anywhere that the Nazis ever used fluoride for [[mind control]] purposes. It may be connected with claims that the similar chemical potassium bromide (once used medically as a sedative) was added to British soldiers' rations to lower their libidos or for some other reason, although this also appears to be a [[myth]], and fluoride doesn't have the same effect anyway.<ref>[https://www.chemistryworld.com/podcasts/potassium-bromide/6805.article Potassium bromide] by Brian Clegg (19 November 2013) ''Chemistry World''.</ref>

===="I'm fine with fluoride on toothpaste, but fluoride shouldn't be ingested!"====
Just as how other [[denialist]] circles have soft and hard nuances, anti-fluoridation people have their share of softcore anti-fluoride opinions. According to them, fluoride is fine when applied topically (on toothpaste, for instance), but not when it is part of the water supply (systemic).<ref>[https://archive.ph/Wsr59#selection-2081.6-2081.71 Expert Testimony: How Your Drinking Water May be Damaging Your Brain] by Joseph Mercola (July 1, 2014) ''Mercola.com'' (archived from 22 May 2016 04:54:33 UTC). Most dental authorities now agree that the predominant benefit of fluoride is topical, not systemic."</ref> The problem, particularly in the U.S., is that people, especially children, need more exposure to fluoride to receive the positive effects of decreasing cavities. In the U.S., fluoridated water is how most children are exposed to fluoride, since, compared to Europe, children do not have school-based dental care and do not visit the dentist regularly. Additionally, fluoride, when swallowed, can be distributed throughout the body, which includes being in the saliva that covers the teeth. Nevertheless, fluoridated water has been shown with more than enough evidence to improve the quality of teeth in humans compared to its risks, if any, and removing them in water will reduce those benefits. The main problem is that it goes against the heaps of evidence demonstrating the safety and benefits of drinking fluoridated water.

====The IQ studies====
*In 2006, the National Research Council (NRC) published a review of the EPA's drinking water standard for fluoride.<ref name=nrc/> The report noted potential negative effects due to fluoridation, including cognitive impairment, [[Hypothyroidism#Fluoride|impaired thyroid functioning]], and increases in bone fractures, in addition to the fluorosis of children's teeth. The NRC called for a reduction of the EPA's limit of 4.0 mg/L of fluoride in drinking water.<ref name=nrc/> This was a ''much'' higher standard than the recommended levels for water fluoridation (targeting levels from 0.7 to 1.2 mg/L).

*The Harvard IQ study: "[[Developmental Fluoride Neurotoxicity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis]]" evaluated the impact of ''highly'' elevated natural fluoride in [[Chinese]] water supplies on childhood development.<ref>[https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3491930/pdf/ehp.1104912.pdf Developmental Fluoride Neurotoxicity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis] by Anna L. Choi et al. (2012) ''Environ. Health Perspect.'' 120(10): 1362–1368. doi:10.1289/ehp.1104912.</ref> (Read: They were studying fluoride ''poisoning''.) In short, they concluded that their results can prove ''nothing'' about US intentional water fluoridation:<ref>[https://content.sph.harvard.edu/wwwhsph/sites/21/2012/07/Media-Statement_Fluoride-9-12-12-Revised2.pdf Statement on Fluoride Paper] by Anna Choi & Philippe Grandjean (September 11, 2012) ''School of Public Health, Harvard University''.</ref><ref>[https://americanfluoridationsociety.org/debunking-anti-claims/myths/harvard-iq-study/ Harvard IQ Study] ''American Fluoridation Society''.</ref>
{{quotebox|These results do not allow us to make any judgment regarding possible levels of risk at levels of exposure typical for water fluoridation in the U.S. On the other hand, neither can it be concluded that no risk is present.}}

*In 2014, a study conducted in [[New Zealand]] examined the relationship between fluoridation and [[IQ]] directly on a cohort of people born in Dunedin in the 1970s. It found no [[statistical significance|statistically significant]] link. The authors suggest that the earlier Harvard study might have been affected by [[confounding variable]]s, especially urban or rural status.<ref>[http://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/abs/10.2105/AJPH.2013.301857 Community Water Fluoridation and Intelligence: Prospective Study in New Zealand] by Jonathan M. Broadbent et al. (2015) ''American Journal of Public Health'' 105(1):72-76.</ref>

*In 2017, there is another study conducted in [[Mexico]], published in ''Environmental Health Perspectives'', determining the effects of high fluoridation and IQ scores called "Prenatal Fluoride Exposure and Cognitive Outcomes in Children at 4 and 6–12 Years of Age in Mexico". It is shortened to the "Bashash study".<ref>[https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/ehp655/ Prenatal Fluoride Exposure and Cognitive Outcomes in Children at 4 and 6–12 Years of Age in Mexico] by Bashash et. al. (2017) ''Environmental Health Perspectives'' 125(9):097017. doi:10.1289/EHP655.</ref> Despite being the largest long-term study and following standard protocal for measurements, it is still limited by a multitude of factors including lack of data for fluoride intake, the only recorded fluoride intake being salts and naturally-occurring fluoride, a relatively small convenience sample, and a lack of factoring for confounding factors such as accounting for possible [[arsenic]], thus making this study far from conclusive in determining the effects.<ref>''American Dental Association''. (November 27, 2017). [https://www.ada.org/~/media/ADA/Public%20Programs/File/2017_NFAC_Comments_on_Bashash_Study_11-27-2017.pdf?la=en Comments on a Study Published in Environmental Health Perspectives Prenatal Fluoride Exposure and Cognitive Outcomes in Children at 4 and 6-12 Years of Age in Mexico].</ref>

===="But, informed consent!"====
The pseudo-[[Libertarian]] 
argument
 [[concern trolling]]. The basic premise is that not everyone "agrees" to have their water fluoridated. This might be valid logic in magical sunshine land where the unicorns fart dollar bills, but unfortunately we do not live in such a world. Giving everyone the ability to choose whether or not their water was fluoridated would effectively mean that every single house would have its own fluoridation unit which could be turned on or off, meaning it's prohibitively expensive to install, let alone maintain. Instead, everyone "consents" in the sense that in a democracy, every town/municipality has elected people who chose to fluoridate the water. If such a thing was [[tyranny]], then having any municipal water system ''at all'' would equally be tyranny, since you also didn't consent to having your [[Water chlorination|water chlorinated]], either.

But fear not, even if you have municipal water, no one is forcing you to use it. You can still "drink only distilled water, or rain water, and only pure grain [[alcohol]]", just like Brigadier General Jack D. Ripper in ''[[Dr. Strangelove]]''.<ref name=strangelove>[http://www.visual-memory.co.uk/amk/doc/0055.html ''Dr. Strangelove'': A Continuity Transcript] ''Visual Memory: Stanley Kubrick''.</ref>

====Conspiracy theories====
{{main|Conspiracy theory}}
[[File:Unholy three.png|thumb|right|Impurifying your precious bodily fluids for more than half a century.]]
{{cquote|'''General Jack D. Ripper:''' You know when fluoridation first began?<br>	
'''Group Capt. Lionel Mandrake:''' I… no, no. I don't, Jack.<br>	
'''General Jack D. Ripper:''' Nineteen hundred and forty-six. 1946, Mandrake. How does that coincide with your post-war Commie conspiracy, huh? It's incredibly obvious, isn't it? A foreign substance is introduced into our precious bodily fluids without the knowledge of the individual. Certainly without any choice. That's the way your hard-core Commie works.|||''Dr. Strangelove''<ref name=strangelove/>}}
Water fluoridation as a [[Red Scare|commie plot]] started among the [[wingnut]] [[paranoia|paranoids]] during the [[Cold War]], most notably the [[John Birch Society]]&nbsp;— the "dark age" claims of which were being debunked in public ''at least'' as early as 1962.<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1891&dat=19620321&id=M54fAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qNUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=694,2464316&hl=en 'Dark Age' Attitudes Hold Up Fluoridation] (March 21, 1962) ''Gadsden Times''.</ref>{{rp|60}} The conspiracy theory gained currency among [[far-left]] [[moonbat]]s after it mutated in the early 1990s into a plot by the [[aluminum]] industry to dispose of their fluoride wastes by dumping them into the water supply for profit.<ref>[http://www.skepdic.com/fluoridation.html Fluoridation of water] (Last updated 16-Dec-2015) ''The Skeptic's Dictionary''.</ref> The implication that [[Big Pharma]] is out to poison you and that the [[scientific consensus]] is proof of a massive world-wide conspiracy of scientists/dentists makes reasoning with conspiracy theorists particularly difficult. Then again, reasoning with conspiracy theorists is almost always a waste of time.

Another popular claim is that fluoridation is a method of [[nuclear waste]] disposal.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080414185159/http://www.fluoridation.com/atomicbomb.htm Fluoride, Teeth, and the Atomic Bomb] by Joel Griffiths and Chris Bryson (2001) ''Fluoride: Protected Pollutant or Panacea?'' (archived from April 14, 2008).</ref> It is true that gaseous fluorine was first used during the Manhattan Project in the process of [[uranium enrichment]], which involves the conversion of uranium oxide to uranium hexafluoride. However, this is irrelevant, because fluoridation uses fluori'''d'''e (i.e., soluble salts that contain fluorine) rather than fluori'''n'''e (a gas so corrosive that it violently reacts with water). Furthermore, uranium enrichment does not involve any nuclear reactions, so no radioactivity or nuclear waste is generated in this process. Finally, this is actually a niche use of fluorine compounds. They are mainly used in steelmaking, aluminum smelting, and the production of specialty plastics (such as PTFE, also known as Teflon) and pharmaceuticals. Cranks apparently find these uses much less interesting.

{{cquote|Does a tiger brush his teeth?|||[[Mao Zedong]], {{wpl|veterinary dentistry}} [[denialist]]<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110203015912/https://people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20104202,00.html The Tyrant's Physician] by Bill Hewitt (October 24, 1994 at 12:00pm EST) ''People'' (archived from February 3, 2011).</ref>}}
Prominent commie Mao Zedong's refusal to brush his teeth is not only [[One single proof|definitive proof]] that the commies were indeed behind US fluoride use all along; his aversion to fluoride also helps to explain his super-appalling dental hygiene.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090204033206/http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20104202,00.html The Tyrant's Physician] by Bill Hewitt (October 24, 1994) ''People'' (archived from February 4, 2009).</ref> The [[crank]]s agree&nbsp;— [[Hypocrisy|resist world communism by ''not'' listening to scientists, instead following the Dear Leader's example]].

==The end is nigh?==
[[File:Robert F. Kennedy Jr. by Gage Skidmore (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|165px|RFK Jr.]]
[[Robert F. Kennedy Jr.]], realizing that his 2024 presidential campaign was doomed, instead joined team [[MAGA]]. After [[Donald Trump|Trump]] won the 2024 election, RFK was promised a senior role at the Department of Health and Human Services and his appointment was soon confirmed by the Senate. In that post, he plans to direct government policy about two of his favorite dangerously kooky ideas, [[antivax]] and banning fluoride supplementation of municipal water supplies. In November 2024, before election day, RFK claimed that Trump would "advise all U.S​. water systems to remove fluoride from public water",<ref>[https://archive.ph/7CUmT#selection-515.41-515.109 On January 20, the Trump White House will advise all U.S​. water systems to remove fluoride from public water. Fluoride is an industrial waste associated with arthritis, bone fractures, bone cancer, IQ loss, neurodevelopmental disorders, and thyroid disease. President ​@realDonaldTrump and First Lady @MELANIATRUMP want to Make America Healthy Again.​ @michaelpconnett] by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (8:36 PM · Nov 2, 2024) ''Twitter'' (archived from 2 Nov 2024 22:45:46 UTC).</ref> making previously debunked claims about the dangers of fluoridation.<ref>[https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/myths/fluoridated-water-fact-sheet Fluoridated Water] ''National Cancer Institute''.</ref><ref name=recht>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/interactive/2024/fluoride-water-mandates/ Which states mandate fluoride in drinking water: RFK Jr. wants fluoride out of water but about a dozen states require it. Here's what the federal government can do.] by Hannah Recht (December 17, 2024 at 6:00 a.m. EST) ''The Washington Post''.</ref> Despite RFK's misguided desires to eliminate all water fluoridation in the US, several US states mandate water fluoridation, primarily in municipal or urban water supplies: [[Arkansas]], [[California]], [[Connecticut]], [[Delaware]], [[Georgia]], [[Illinois]], [[Kentucky]], [[Louisiana]], [[Minnesota]], [[Mississippi]], [[Nebraska]], [[Nevada]], [[Ohio]] and [[South Dakota]].<ref name=recht/> Therefore, such a presidential directive might have much less effect than RFK would anticipate.

==The cream of the anti-fluoridation crap==
{{main|Crank magnetism}}
*Mike Adams — operator/editor of [[NaturalNews]], an infamous [[alternative medicine]] website. Claims that proponents of water fluoridation are "[[psychopath]]ic criminals," "[[mad scientist]]s," and "some of the most life-hating people you'll ever meet."<ref>[http://www.naturalnews.com/040465_water_fluoridation_Portland_ballot_measure.html Water fluoridation DEFEATED in Portland] by Mike Adams (May 23, 2013) ''NaturalNews''.</ref>
*{{wpl|Ed Begley Jr.}} — American actor and environmentalist.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRUjjyD21OY Ed Begley Jr: Fluoridation is a "Clumsy Form of Medicine"] by fluoridealert (Apr 19, 2013) ''YouTube''.</ref>
*{{wpl|Erin Brockovich}} — American legal clerk and environmental activist.<ref>[https://s3.amazonaws.com/SecureTheRepublic/State%20Documents/Arkansas/279359143_Brockovich-Letter-to-US-Natl-Acad-Science-Inst-Medicine.pdf letter to the Institute of Medicine/National Library of Medicine signed by Brockovich and others] (April 27, 2015).</ref>
*[[Paul Connett]] — executive director of the Fluoride Action Network (an anti-fluoridation activist group).
*{{wpl|Ludwik Gross||,}} {{lived|1904|1999}} most famous for showing that [[virus]]es can cause [[cancer]]s in animals, he [[Ultracrepidarian|also believed that]] fluoridation was "an insidious poison, harmful, toxic and cumulative in its effect, even when ingested in minimal amounts."<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/1999/07/22/us/ludwik-gross-a-trailblazer-in-cancer-research-dies-at-94.html Ludwik Gross, a Trailblazer in Cancer Research, Dies at 94] by Lawrence K. Altman (July 22, 1999) ''The New York Times''.</ref>
*[[David Icke]] — Exposing the [[reptilian]] side to this vast fluoridation conspiracy.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20131201043211/http://www.davidicke.com/headlines/tag/fluoride/ 30,000 more people freed from water fluoridation after Australian town rejects poison] by David Icke (28<sup>th</sup> November 2013 at 03:38) ''David Icke'' (archived from December 1, 2013).</ref>
*[[Alex Jones]] — Possibly the most vocal opponent to fluoridation today.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20250705222539/https://www.google.com/web/20250705222539/https://www.google.com/search?q=site:infowars.com+flouride&sei=Y6ZpaJLgGqjavr0PppGikA8 Google search: site:infowars.com flouride] (archived from July 5, 2025).</ref> [[Poe's Law|He even put it on a t-shirt.]]<ref>[https://archive.ph/jfyRp Fluoride In The Tap Water - Blue Shirt] ''InfoWars'' (archived from 21 Feb 2015 01:41:43 UTC).</ref>
*[[Joseph Mercola]] — quack internet doctor and supplement peddler. You know you're an [[asshole]] when [[InfoWars]] quotes you.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20161107152633/http://www.infowars.com/the-fluoride-deception-whats-added-to-your-water-supply/ The Fluoride Deception: What’s Added to Your Water Supply? There is not one single metabolic process in your body that requires fluoride] by Dr. Mercola (December 13, 2014) ''Infowars''.</ref>
*[[Ralph Nader]] — [[Inverse stopped clock|consumer advocate]].<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5HN4Rkxx78 Ralph Nader on Water Fluoridation] by fluoridealert (Feb 11, 2011) ''YouTube''.</ref>
*[[Richard A. Passwater]] — American [[megavitamin]] therapy kook
*Vinnie Paz of [[Jedi Mind Tricks]] — semi-underground [[hip-hop]] artist, [[conspiracy theorist]], and [[homophobe]]. Clearly an academic worthy of your time.<ref>[https://genius.com/Vinnie-paz-end-of-days-lyrics End of Days, Vinnie Paz] ''Genius''.</ref>
*[[Paul Saladino]] — Conspiracy theorist and opponent of fluoride in toothpaste, promotes an expensive "animal-based diet" with fruit.
*[[John Yiamouyiannis]] — [[AIDS denial]]ist quack and "[[Pseudoscience|science]] director" for the [[anti-vaccine]], [[Laetrile|phony cancer cure]]-pushing [[National Health Federation]].

==Trivia==
*A word of advice — if you're the type of person who freaks out about the fluoride in the water supply, it is advised that you never drink [[tea]]; this is because the tea [[plant]]&nbsp;— that makes both black and green teas&nbsp;— is exceptionally good at soaking up fluoride in its soil.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20131103070255/http://www.nhs.uk/news/2013/07July/Pages/do-fluoride-levels-in-cheap-tea-pose-a-health-risk.aspx Do fluoride levels in cheap tea pose a health risk?] (July 25 2013) ''National Health Service'' (November 3, 2013).</ref>  If you're sane, then well, drinking tea without sugar is a good way to improve your dental hygiene ''because'' of its high fluoride concentration. People in [[China]] commonly used to brush their teeth with tea as an alternative, though their teeth were still significantly worse off than those of the modern toothpaste user.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/1943420.stm Concerns over China's teeth] (23 April, 2002, 00:53 GMT 01:53) ''BBC''.</ref>
*Due to a pressing need among [[crank]]s to rationalize away why the average person won't just 
run along with any zany Internet theory
 accept [[Deceit|the facts]] as provided by [[truther]]s, the term "[[fluoride stare]]" has actually been popularized in the [[fringe]]. This term denotes the embarrassed glance of non-judgemental (though, palpable) disbelief given by those whose first reaction to having been dragged through a lecture on [[Obama]] being a [[reptilian]] isn't  "[[WAKE UP|YES!! IT ALL FITS!]]".  

==In a nutshell==
{{collapse|''Why Is Fluoride Good For Teeth?'' ([https://www.youtube.com/user/scishow ''SciShow''])}}
<center>
{{#ev:youtube|TyVV0UDQ_f4}}
</center>
{{collapse end}}

{{collapse|''All about Fluoridation'' ([https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG9DGRmeyQZAlcCD4JGMilQ ''inFact''])}}
<center>
{{#ev:youtube|z40PCA4ur84}}
</center>
{{collapse end}}

{{collapse|''Fluoride in the Water Isn't Going to Hurt You'' ([https://www.youtube.com/user/thehealthcaretriage ''Healthcare Triage''])}}
<center>
{{#ev:youtube|6Hml1CL0Idk}}
</center>
{{collapse end}}

==See also==
{{fun|Anti-fluoridation argument Bingo}}
*[[American Academy of Environmental Medicine]], a pro-[[pseudoscience]] group of physicians.
*[[Dental woo]]
*[[Developmental Fluoride Neurotoxicity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis]] - a commonly miscited study by the anti-fluoridation group.
*[[Water woo]]
*[[Chemophobia]]
*[[Fluoride Stare]]
*[[Water chlorination]]

==External links==
*[http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/crd/fluores.htm A Systematic Review of Public Water Fluoridation (2000)], University of York
*[[Quackwatch]] on [http://www.quackwatch.org/03HealthPromotion/fluoride.html Water Fluoridation]
*[http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2692/is-fluoride-in-water-a-good-thing-or-a-danger Is fluoride in water a good thing or a danger?], The Straight Dope

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

[[Category:Biology]]
[[Category:Chemistry]]
[[Category:Chemophobes]]
[[Category:Conspiracy theories]]
[[Category:Dental woo]]
[[Category:Science]]
[[Category:Water fluoridation| ]]
[[Category:Water woo]]

Categories: Biology, Chemistry, Chemophobes, Conspiracy theories, Dental woo, Science, Water fluoridation, Water woo