Is it ethical to add fluoride in water?

[2952-0-0]

Ahh, one of the hottest conspiracies. I say no, because when I turn on the tap I want water and nothing else.

[John Dibble]

It was originally added to enhance dental health. Now there's no need for that - modern dentistry, especially this little thing called toothpaste, is much better than in the days when this was originally added.

[True Democrat]

I say it is ethical.  The government is only trying to prevent disease by doing it.

[Richard]

Follow the money.  Municipalities don't buy the fluoride, they get paid to take it.  It is a toxic waste.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I support it, but only because in the 60s lots of conservative were complete morons who claimed it was a Communist plot. So I support it just to piss off anyone so stupid as to believe that type of garbage.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

As long as they don't require that it be added to alternative water sources such as bottled water, people still have a choice.  Besides, Fiendish Fluoridators give something for the Semiconscious Liberation Army to do.

[Redefeatbush04]

Its more ethical than the restaurants putting ice in your drink without you specifically requesting it, and then not letting you have free refills.

[Rob]

No. My city is one of only a few places in Oregon to hold out against it (there have been referendums on it 3 or 4 times, IIRC, and each time fluoride loses).

[muon2]

Follow the money.  Municipalities don't buy the fluoride, they get paid to take it.  It is a toxic waste.

Where I'm from it costs money to add fluoride to municipal water supplies. It's a state mandate. Here's the info from the state website:

You must be logged in to read this quote.

[Richard]

Where does it say you're paying for it?

[7,052,770]

The fluoride in the water is good for dental health.  Of course it should be there.  Waste your money on bottled water if you're so opposed.

[John Dibble]

The fluoride in the water is good for dental health.  Of course it should be there.  Waste your money on bottled water if you're so opposed.

Well, there are some possible negative health effects as well.

http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=3014

Just an example, take it with a grain of salt.

[bullmoose88]

"Fluoridation is the most monstrously conceived and dangerous communist plot we have ever had to face...I can no longer sit back and allow Communist infiltration, Communist indoctrination, Communist subversion and the international Communist conspiracy to sap and impurify all of our precious bodily fluids."

Gen. Jack D. Ripper

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Like many things, if taken in excess, fluoride is toxic, just as if you take too much of some vitamins, they are toxic.  It’s commonly the case in physiology that you can have too much of a good thing.

[patrick1]

"Fluoridation is the most monstrously conceived and dangerous communist plot we have ever had to face...I can no longer sit back and allow Communist infiltration, Communist indoctrination, Communist subversion and the international Communist conspiracy to sap and impurify all of our precious bodily fluids."

Gen. Jack D. Ripper

Damn you beat me to it.

I agree with Harry.  Should we break out the Big book of British smiles;)

[Trilobyte]

The fluoride in the water is good for dental health.  Of course it should be there.  Waste your money on bottled water if you're so opposed.

Well, there are some possible negative health effects as well.

http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=3014

Just an example, take it with a grain of salt.

Speaking of salt, there's iodine added to your salt. Guess people should be worried about that too.

[senatortombstone]

"Fluoridation is the most monstrously conceived and dangerous communist plot we have ever had to face...I can no longer sit back and allow Communist infiltration, Communist indoctrination, Communist subversion and the international Communist conspiracy to sap and impurify all of our precious bodily fluids."

Gen. Jack D. Ripper

I do't know if fluoride usage was actually communist infiltration.  I think they focused more on our colleges than water supply"

[Nym90]

I think so. Overall, it's been a positive thing for the health of the population, especially children. My father often mentions how much rarer cavities are now then they were before fluridation. It seems hard to believe for my generation, but he said that 1-2 cavities per year was pretty common for children in those days.

I hate to play the "for the kids" card, because it can be overblown easily, but it is important to remember that it has drastically helped the health of children, and that, to me at least, it's not fair to make kids suffer because their parents don't force them to brush their teeth often enough. Many parents are just too lazy or undisciplined to make their kids do the right thing; that's obviously a whole 'nother issue into and of itself, but in the meantime, given that flouridations seems relatively cheap and nontoxic in its current dosage, I don't see a problem with it. Seems like a good preventive measure to improve the health of the population and save everyone (not just those directly affected) some money on their dentist bills.

[John Dibble]

The fluoride in the water is good for dental health.  Of course it should be there.  Waste your money on bottled water if you're so opposed.

Well, there are some possible negative health effects as well.

http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=3014

Just an example, take it with a grain of salt.

Speaking of salt, there's iodine added to your salt. Guess people should be worried about that too.

LOL. Well, just remember too much salt IS bad for you.

[Blue Rectangle]

Well, there are some possible negative health effects as well.

http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=3014

Just an example, take it with a grain of salt.

I'd rather not.  Salt is sodium chloride, which contains the toxic chemical chlorine.  Chlorine is very similar to fluorine and is used in the manufacture of a variety of deadly chemicals, such as mustard gas.  When dissolved in liquid hydrogen monoxide, chlorine is used to kill trillions of microorganisms every day.  The chemical hydrogen monoxide is deadly in itself and is responsible for thousands of human deaths every year-yet the government still allows it in places of business, in food preparation, and even in our children’s schools.

[John Dibble]

Well, there are some possible negative health effects as well.

http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=3014

Just an example, take it with a grain of salt.

I'd rather not.  Salt is sodium chloride, which contains the toxic chemical chlorine.  Chlorine is very similar to fluorine and is used in the manufacture of a variety of deadly chemicals, such as mustard gas.  When dissolved in liquid hydrogen monoxide, chlorine is used to kill trillions of microorganisms every day.  The chemical hydrogen monoxide is deadly in itself and is responsible for thousands of human deaths every year-yet the government still allows it in places of business, in food preparation, and even in our children’s schools.

Don't you mean 'dihydrogen monoxide'? If you're gonna go on a dumb rant, do it right.

Anyways, I'm starting to wonder if you people know what 'take it with a grain of salt' means.

[Blue Rectangle]

Well, there are some possible negative health effects as well.

http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=3014

Just an example, take it with a grain of salt.

I'd rather not.  Salt is sodium chloride, which contains the toxic chemical chlorine.  Chlorine is very similar to fluorine and is used in the manufacture of a variety of deadly chemicals, such as mustard gas.  When dissolved in liquid hydrogen monoxide, chlorine is used to kill trillions of microorganisms every day.  The chemical hydrogen monoxide is deadly in itself and is responsible for thousands of human deaths every year-yet the government still allows it in places of business, in food preparation, and even in our children’s schools.

Don't you mean 'dihydrogen monoxide'? If you're gonna go on a dumb rant, do it right.

Anyways, I'm starting to wonder if you people know what 'take it with a grain of salt' means.

Well, at least my comparison about chlorine and fluorine was mostly serious.  Should the government add chlorine to our water, or should everyone have to boil it for a half hour if they don't want cholera?  Nearly every argument against fluorine could apply to chlorine as well.

[Gabu]

"Fluoridation is the most monstrously conceived and dangerous communist plot we have ever had to face...I can no longer sit back and allow Communist infiltration, Communist indoctrination, Communist subversion and the international Communist conspiracy to sap and impurify all of our precious bodily fluids."

Gen. Jack D. Ripper

I do't know if fluoride usage was actually communist infiltration.  I think they focused more on our colleges than water supply"

That was a quote from Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, a satirical movie starring Peter Sellers.

[John Dibble]

Well, there are some possible negative health effects as well.

http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=3014

Just an example, take it with a grain of salt.

I'd rather not.  Salt is sodium chloride, which contains the toxic chemical chlorine.  Chlorine is very similar to fluorine and is used in the manufacture of a variety of deadly chemicals, such as mustard gas.  When dissolved in liquid hydrogen monoxide, chlorine is used to kill trillions of microorganisms every day.  The chemical hydrogen monoxide is deadly in itself and is responsible for thousands of human deaths every year-yet the government still allows it in places of business, in food preparation, and even in our children’s schools.

Don't you mean 'dihydrogen monoxide'? If you're gonna go on a dumb rant, do it right.

Anyways, I'm starting to wonder if you people know what 'take it with a grain of salt' means.

Well, at least my comparison about chlorine and fluorine was mostly serious.  Should the government add chlorine to our water, or should everyone have to boil it for a half hour if they don't want cholera?  Nearly every argument against fluorine could apply to chlorine as well.

Well, my biggest thing is 'is it necessary today'. I would argue it is much less necessary to have fluoride in the water today than it was then they started. I've had only one cavity in my life, and otherwise have had perfect dental health - this is not due to fluoride, as my home has a well to pump our drinking water from. As I've stated before, dental health has come a long way - toothpaste is much improved, for instance. So, the question is, with today's tools for dental health that are readily available, are the risks brought about by fluoridation still outweighed by the benefits?

[Gabu]

Well, my biggest thing is 'is it necessary today'. I would argue it is much less necessary to have fluoride in the water today than it was then they started. I've had only one cavity in my life, and otherwise have had perfect dental health - this is not due to fluoride, as my home has a well to pump our drinking water from. As I've stated before, dental health has come a long way - toothpaste is much improved, for instance. So, the question is, with today's tools for dental health that are readily available, are the risks brought about by fluoridation still outweighed by the benefits?

I have a feeling it's yet another case of what I like to call "bureaucratic inertia": something is in place, and it would take a lot of effort to remove it, and it's likely that your popularity would go down if you did because you'd have to explain in great detail why you're doing what you're doing and it's inevitable that somebody wouldn't like it, so you just don't do anything about it.