I'm hearing from a friend in the united states that some states will be removing fluoride from their water. I want to post this article about what happened when my city, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, removed fluoride 14 years ago.
I don't know what exactly you can do, because I don't really know how it works in the states, but please keep an eye out what your politicians are doing and if this is on their list, contact your elected officials. Call, email, write letters. If there are towhalls, go to them and demand they account for all the cons of removing fluoride. Do whatever you are individually capable of.
Calgary's children literally became the test case for what happens when you remove fluoride from community water and I don't want other children to suffer like ours had to.
Fluoride is incredibly important in areas where there isn't universal access to dental care. Especially in poor areas.
Don't let fear mongering take away one of the best ways to prevent dental decay in the general population.
And remember to brush and floss.
Why Calgary reversed its decision on fluoride after 10 years
The Times article details what happened in Calgary after fluoride was removed: âmultiple studiesâ showed that caries and caries treatments increased in children in the subsequent years. The number of children receiving IV antibiotics for dental infections at Alberta Childrenâs Hospital increased by 700% from 2011 to 2018. The majority of these patients were under five years old.
After a decade without fluoride, Calgary had seen enough. The cityâs reversal offers a critical perspective for communities debating the fut
Full article under the cut.
Why Calgary reversed its decision on fluoride after 10 years
Dec. 6, 2024
After a decade without fluoride, Calgary had seen enough. The cityâs reversal offers a critical perspective for communities debating the future of water fluoridation.
Amelia Williamson DeStefano, Group Editorial Director
What could happen if communities in the United States begin to remove fluoride from their drinking water? Its fate is still uncertain, but a city in Canada of 1.4 million has given us one possible outcome.
Back in 2011, city counselors in Calgary voted to remove fluoride from the water supply over concerns it was too expensive, says a 12/6 article in The Times.  Now, 13 years later, theyâre putting it back in.
What happened in Calgary
The Times article details what happened in Calgary after fluoride was removed: âmultiple studiesâ showed that caries and caries treatments increased in children in the subsequent years. The number of children receiving IV antibiotics for dental infections at Alberta Childrenâs Hospital increased by 700% from 2011 to 2018. The majority of these patients were under five years old.
In a 2021 referendum, Calgary voters elected to put fluoride back in the water, and completion is due early next year.
One dentist interviewed by The Times observed âa rise in decalcification along the gum line,â rather than the usual decay on biting surfaces of teeth that is associated with a caries-producing diet.
Other studies noted that more children required general anesthesia for their dental procedures during this time.
The article also notes that the connection of fluoride and decay is not always clear-cut. For example, high-income countries such as Denmark and Belgium donât fluoridate their water, but have better dental health than the United States. Both these countries provide universal dental coverage, including for children.
How a Trump administration could end water fluoridation
As Calgary restores fluoride, the US is seeing efforts to widely remove it. President Elect Donald Trump nominated an outspoken fluoride opponent, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., for health secretary. Theyâve said theyâd advise communities to remove fluoride on Inauguration Day.
Although Trumpâs incoming administration hasnât mentioned banning fluoride, if they reclassified fluoride as a toxic substance, it could no longer be added to drinking water, according to Axios.
watching this video on fluoride by angela collier deadass increased my motivation to brush my teeth. i already knew fluoride was good and all but it reminded me. now brushing my teeth is not "stupid action i have to do so my stupid mouth bones don't rot" now it's "me harnessing the power of the elements using decades of human ingenuity to make my teeth strong". yay
Dental experts advise not to rinse your mouth with water after brushing your teeth, so the fluoride in toothpaste stays on your teeth longer and protects them better.
U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says he plans to tell the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention soon to stop recommending f
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) â U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Monday said he plans to tell the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to stop recommending fluoridation in communities nationwide. Kennedy said heâs assembling a task force of health experts to study the issue and make new recommendations.
Also on Monday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced it is reviewing ânew scientific informationâ on potential health risks of fluoride in drinking water. The EPA sets the maximum level allowed in public water systems.
Kennedy told The Associated Press of his plans after a news conference with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin in Salt Lake City.
Kennedy cannot order communities to stop fluoridation, but he can direct the CDC to stop recommending it and work with the EPA to change the allowed amount.
Utah last month became the first state to ban fluoride in public drinking water, pushing past opposition from dentists and national health organizations who warned the move would disproportionately hurt low-income residents who canât afford regular dentist visits.
