Quote:
Originally Posted by Ashartus
There are alternatives - it's just they end up costing a lot more. The reason water supplies are fluoridated is because it is much cheaper than more targeted approaches. It's also a lot easier to control the maximum dose - there's only so much water a person can drink in a day. If you have fluoridated salt, for example, there's a much wider range in how much salt people consume. If you're adding fluoride to your own water it's a lot harder to control the concentration.
Why don't I hear the same people complaining about, for example, folic acid added to flour? There have been studies linking high doses of folic acid supplementation to increased rates of some cancers; I saw one study a couple of years ago suggesting a possible link with increased rates of miscarriage. The amount of flour people consume is probably pretty variable so the dose isn't controlled. (I have no problem with adding folic acid to flour - I just wonder why people against "forced medication" by water fluoridation aren't speaking out against all the other similar things the government mandates).
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So adding fluoride to water is largely justified on the basis of ease? It's a decent argument, but doesn't cogently withdraw the obligation to look for alternatives. You also need to keep in mind your entire argument is contingent upon the notion that fluoride is a necessity - though we are far from having established it as such.
Otherwise, I do appreciate the response.
To briefly respond to your second paragraph: I am a proponent of raw, whole and generally unadulterated foods. I don't agree with the addition of folic acid to flour either.