Despite decades of evidence that fluoride prevents cavities, the agency said the best way to keep kids' teeth strong is to stop eating so much sugar.

The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday announced it will begin the process of pulling prescription fluoride drops and tablets for children off the market. The supplements are usually given to kids at high risk for cavities.

The news release suggested that ingested fluoride can alter a child’s gut microbiome and cause weight gain, thyroid disorders and “possibly decreased IQ.”

  • stupid_asshole69 [none/use name]English
    1•1 month ago

    It does but not near as much as it does in children who are building up enamel much faster. The whole point of water supply fluoridation was to reach children, not adults.

    My point is that water supply fluoridation only made sense in a situation where you couldn’t reliably reach children and people didn’t have dental care. In a nation with mandatory public schooling and one which could easily provide dental care to children at the very least it is a goofy system.

      • stupid_asshole69 [none/use name]English
        3•1 month ago

        I’m not suggesting that dental care is widespread, only that the conditions which proscribe water supply fluoridation are no longer present and we shouldn’t be saying “no, keep the fluoridation” but instead “you’re right, municipal fluoridation is an outdated practice, fluoride rinse for children and free dental care for all!”

    • HelluvaBottomCarter [comrade/them]English
      6•1 month ago

      Dentists are locked behind paywall. If you leave that treatment up to professionals only, then the the only people who will get it are the ones who can afford and regularly get care. This leaves millions of people not getting the treatment.