• Redex@lemmy.world
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    1 day ago

    Africa, the Middle East, and Russia

    And, like, about 98% of the population of Europe…

    I hate most of what Trump and his cronies do, but from what I’ve seen fluoridating water has meager benefits in today’s day and age with fluoridated toothpaste, whilst potentially having side-effects according to a few newer studies. Personally, it’s whatever in my opinion, I’d wait for more conclusive studies that prove whether it’s worth it or not, but I also don’t think it’s a big deal if it’s stopped.

    • BrianTheeBiscuiteer@lemmy.world
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      1 day ago

      Flouride can naturally occur in drinking water. In some parts of Europe (same article) it’s actually in excessive amounts. Just because they don’t add it doesn’t mean it’s not there.

      • Redex@lemmy.world
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        18 hours ago

        Ok but that’s kinda shifting goalposts. My point was that the vast majority of Europe doesn’t artificially add fluoride into water, probably not without reason. Even then, just 3% of French people receive naturally fluoridated water, for Germany its < 1%, Italy also by the sound of the article probably <1%, Spain is 10%. It doesn’t give information about natural fluoridation levels in Croatia but it’s probably at the same levels and I can attest to the fact we don’t have a cavity epidemic.

        Interestingly it also notes this in the article:

        In the GDR (East Germany) in the late 1980s, about 3.4 million people (20%) were receiving water with added fluoride… A fluoride cessation study found that consistent with a previously observed population-wide phenomenon that the rate of cavities continued to drop after the fluoride concentration in water fell from the augmented 1.0 ppm to its natural level below 0.2 ppm. Water fluoridation was discontinued after the German reunification although still exists on some US military bases.

        My point is that I think it doesn’t really matter whether you fluoridate water or not and that it’s fine to be skeptical of it when the benefits in today’s day and age are minor and there might be potential drawbacks.