this post was submitted on 13 Nov 2024
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[–] ICastFist@programming.dev 32 points 1 month ago (3 children)

Some 'murican cities are unironically trying to get rid of fluoride from water. You know, the thing that also goes in toothpaste and is overall good for keeping teeth healthy

[–] wildbus8979@sh.itjust.works -2 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Unfortunately RFK isn't all wrong on this one. Recent evidence is showing it is indeed linked to neurological issues... Furthermore the effects are kind of negated by fluoride in the toothpaste.

https://keck.usc.edu/news/fluoride-exposure-during-pregnancy-linked-to-increased-risk-of-childhood-neurobehavioral-problems-study-finds/

The long-awaited report released Wednesday comes from the National Toxicology Program, part of the Department of Health and Human Services. It summarizes [...] that drinking water containing more than 1.5 milligrams of fluoride per liter is consistently associated with lower IQs in kids.

[...]

Since 2015, federal health officials have recommended a fluoridation level of 0.7 milligrams per liter of water, and for five decades before the recommended upper range was 1.2. The World Health Organization has set a safe limit for fluoride in drinking water of 1.5.

https://apnews.com/article/fluoride-water-brain-neurology-iq-0a671d2de3b386947e2bd5a661f437a5

These margins are razor thin.

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/still-need-fluoride-drinking-water-benefits-may-waning-study-suggests-rcna173790

[–] Pips@lemmy.sdf.org 15 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

Respectfully, I'm going to be immediately suspicious of any study that uses IQ as the measuring standard. IQ is not an objective measure of intelligence or cognitive ability. The same person taking the test will probably have a different score every time they take it. I'm not saying fluoride does or does not have an effect on cognitive ability or intelligence. But IQ is hardly going to be the way to figure that out.

Edit: I also don't know how you'd conclude it's fluoride and not literally anything else they're consuming.

[–] wildbus8979@sh.itjust.works -3 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

Respectfully, maybe read the two linked studies then.

[–] Pips@lemmy.sdf.org 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

You only linked one? The other is referenced in an article. The way these studies were conducted and the populations used does not immediately translate to fluoride being the issue since that wasn't the only variable. It's worth exploring, but it's really not enough to change decades of dental hygiene improvements.

[–] wildbus8979@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 month ago

The ap article links another.

[–] Smoogs@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

The researchers analyzed 229 mother-child pairs, calculating fluoride exposure from urine samples collected during the third trimester of pregnancy. Most urine samples were collected from fasting women, which improves the accuracy of chemical testing. Children were then assessed at age three using the Preschool Child Behavior Checklist, which uses parent reports to measure a child’s social and emotional functioning.

Children exposed to an additional 0.68 milligrams per liter of fluoride in the womb were 1.83 times more likely to show behavioral problems considered to be clinically significant or borderline clinically significant. Specifically, children exposed to more fluoride had more problems with emotional reactivity, somatic complaints (such as headaches and stomachaches), anxiety and symptoms linked to autism.

No association was found with several other neurobehavioral symptoms, including “externalizing behaviors” such as aggression and attention problems.

Hmm, they are using a statistic as their study and parental reporting… what with PFOAs, pthalates, microplastics and parabens already present in water linked as endocrine disrupters I wonder how that plays over top of all of this fluoride as well.

[–] wildbus8979@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 month ago

Meta analysis are not uncommon.

No association was found with several other neurobehavioral symptoms

[–] shiftymccool@programming.dev -3 points 1 month ago (2 children)

You're not swallowing toothpaste. I don't know enough about the effects of fluoride to agree or disagree with the removal. Being a guy with healthy teeth, a ...few years under his belt and living on well water for damn near all of them, I'm pretty comfortable saying leave it in the toothpaste where it'll have fewer unintended consequences

[–] Strykker@programming.dev 5 points 1 month ago

It has been proven in repeated studies that fluoride in the water helps prevent tooth issues for children in low income families.

There is much less fluoride in water than in toothpaste, so the swallowing comparison is a little bit extra.

[–] prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

I don't know enough about the effects of fluoride to agree or disagree with the removal

Then why even comment on it? You realize that there are people who do know a lot about this stuff. Like they've dedicated their lives to studying it. And I imagine you could even find their published research online. You know, like actual science? Do you remember how the scientific method works?

But nah, instead you'll just make an unwarrantedly confident comment about something you know nothing about based on "vibes"

Just like American voters.