Utah bans fluoride in public drinking water, a first in the US
apnews.com
Utah has become the first state to ban fluoride in public drinking water, despite widespread opposition from dentists and national health organizations. Republican Gov.

Summary

Utah became the first state to ban fluoride in public drinking water after Republican Gov. Spencer Cox signed legislation prohibiting local decisions on fluoridation.

Cox cited cost and personal choice, likening fluoride to government “medication.”

The ban faces opposition from dentists and health experts, who argue fluoride prevents cavities and benefits low-income communities.

Nearly two-thirds of Americans receive fluoridated water. Some cities have already removed fluoride, and a recent court order requires the EPA to regulate high levels that may affect children’s intellectual development.

      • pixxelkick@lemmy.worldEnglish
        151·
        5 days ago

        This, this is what people completely whiff on…

        People forget not everyone can afford toothpaste…

        • mPony@lemmy.worldEnglish
          9·
          4 days ago

          Some people are unable to comprehend poverty. “just buy toothpaste” is low-key the equivalent of “just get a loan from your family and start your own business” or “Just get your accountant to write it off” or “just buy a second house” or “just let the lawyers clean it up”. If you have the financial means, certain problems just don’t affect you.

        • sexy_peach@feddit.orgEnglish
          36·
          4 days ago

          I only use home brand toothpaste which is like 50cent here in Europe. Everyone can afford that or they have other bigger issues than their fluoride intake

          • pixxelkick@lemmy.worldEnglish
            4·
            4 days ago

            You’d be surprised how much the intersection of “I luve in a literal cardboard box and can’t afford toothpaste” and “no longer getting fluoride in my water super fucks me over” is.

            There’s huge chunks of the population who, yes, can’t a0fford to brush their teeth, they Jaber neither toothbrush nor toothpaste.

            But they do drink free tap water, and that as a source of fluoride in any sane city is a powerful cheap way to help with their bone health, teeth health, etc.

            Cities that turn off fluoride in the water are, 4-5 years later, going to have some seriously excercerbated problems in their homeless communities which is going to impact everyone.

            It’s very dumb short term thinking that only someone very stupid would do…

      • thermal_shock@lemmy.worldEnglish
        3·
        5 days ago

        Anything to make plebs suffer /s

        America’s leadership is dog shit. Only reason to get into politics anymore is to bilk the system and join the grift, fuck everyone you have to squash along the way, and especially once you reach the top

      • Tehdastehdas@lemmy.worldEnglish
        11·
        4 days ago

        Cheaper to add fluoride to the small amount of water children drink than to the huge amount of water that the whole state uses. The state should pay, of course.

        • surewhynotlem@lemmy.worldEnglish
          3·
          4 days ago

          I’d disagree. The logistics of tiny local delivery would be massive. The dosing would be inconsistent. And we’d be putting the burden of doing it on already over burdened and struggling families.

          • Tehdastehdas@lemmy.worldEnglish
            11·
            4 days ago

            Logistics: Stores sell “child teething fluoride essence, one squirt per glass, pocket size”, price subsidised.

            I think it’s worth the upside of increased intelligence, which Americans clearly need.

            … 21 of 23 recent epidemiological studies report an association between high fluoride exposure and reduced intelligence. The discrepancy between experimental and epidemiological evidence may be reconciled with deficiencies inherent in most of these epidemiological studies on a putative association between fluoride and intelligence, especially with respect to adequate consideration of potential confounding factors, e.g., socioeconomic status, residence, breast feeding, low birth weight, maternal intelligence, and exposure to other neurotoxic chemicals.

            https://doi.org/10.1007/s00204-020-02725-2

            • surewhynotlem@lemmy.worldEnglish
              4·
              4 days ago

              First you need to define “high”. The dose makes the poison. High amounts of water are deadly.

              There’s zero evidence that flouride at the levels found in public water is anything but positive. And your quote agrees with this. Did you just clip it without reading?

              • Tehdastehdas@lemmy.worldEnglish
                11·
                4 days ago

                I assume fluorine is one of the many “any dose matters” slow poisons for the brain in which there is no safe dose, only undetectable in insufficiently controlled studies of intelligence development over decades.

                • surewhynotlem@lemmy.worldEnglish
                  1·
                  4 days ago

                  You’re allowed to assume whatever you like. For example, I assume meat is toxic and everyone who eats it dies earlier than they should.