The Wednesday Wetness

The Peacock, Utah set to become first state to ban fluoride in public water "A bill awaiting the governor's signature would prohibit the addition of fluoride to public water systems."

Utah is gearing up to make history as the first state to ban fluoride in public water systems if Gov. Spencer Cox signs a bill to prohibit the addition of the tooth decay-fighting mineral.

If signed into law, HB0081 would prevent any individual or political subdivision from adding fluoride "to water in or intended for public water systems."
. . .
This bill, introduced last month and passed out of the state legislature on Friday, comes as the new federal health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has openly criticized use of the mineral. He linked fluoride to various illnesses, despite major medical associations supporting water fluoridation.

A report published recently in JAMA Pediatrics found a statistically significant association between higher fluoride exposure and lower children’s IQ scores — but the researchers did not suggest that fluoride should be removed from drinking water.

According to the report's authors, most of the 74 studies they reviewed were low-quality and done in countries other than the United States, such as China, where fluoride levels tend to be much higher, the researchers noted.

There's simply no doubt that fluoride in water helps prevent cavities. That's been well known for years. However, the fluoride doesn't need to ingested to work, the effect happens as fluoride in water touches and binds to tooth material. Too much fluoride in water can be toxic, and cause bone problems. So topical applications of fluoride (as dentists like to charge for) are probably preferable. I don't know about the IQ link, but I know if this were something they didn't want, they would be up in arms about the possibility, as they are with mercury.

Our own local water system is too small to add fluoride, too much risk. The fluoride metering systems in larger systems have been known to screw up, and cause harm, including death.

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Denim on the Beach up and garnering clicks at the Other McCain.