Skepticism, Science & Pseudoscience
In reply to the discussion: Youtube scientist C0nc0rdance addresses the pseudo-science against flouridation of drinking water. [View all]Boston_Chemist
(256 posts)Is it ok for the population of suffer from an epidemic of dental fluorosis because "most cases are mild"?
Advocating for a treatment against dental caries is not a bad thing, but there is a whole host of documented negative effects, and ethical issues surrounding this matter. It is preferable to read articles, instead of engaging in egregious cut-n-pasting, because then we will then be able to sanely discuss the pros and cons of this matter.
I already mentioned a number of technical issues surrounding the introduction of a drug into the drinking water, and for some reason you have chosen to ignore them. The link you posted is a site where zeroth-order information is provided, as it seems to be geared to assuaging the fears a concerned parent may have, but it has within it indications of the problems that I am alluding to. For instance, it suggests that people ensure that "only a pea-sized amount of toothpaste be used when brushing the teeth," so I ask you: Why is such a toxic substance being included in substances (water, tooth paste) that have privileged routes of entry into the human body? It is 100% likely that a child will take a liking for the sweet, minty toothpaste, thusly increasing his/her chances for low level poisoning with this ion. If it is such a safe substance, why the advice that only a pea-sized amount be used?
Furthermore, and since you raise the topic of epidemiology,
a. The article I posted found that fluorosis is mostly found in areas where the poor and minorities predominate. What's going on there?
b. You claim, via this webpage you seem to like so much, that most cases of dental fluorosis are mild. Without any knowledge of the distribution of the data, statements like these are nearly useless. What is the standard deviation, for instance? What about the outliers, what do their mouths look like?
c. Fluorosis appears to be a symptom of other issues associated with flouride poisoning. I am actually curious about these other issues.
Skepticism is not be a banner under which contrarian positions are shouted down via peer pressure nor intimidation.