Alternative headline: Science disproves well known conspiracy theory again; conspiracy theorists deny evidence.

But a MAGA coworker told me Fluoride is bad according to new studies. When asked for specifics the answer was read the studies.

I always assume if MAGA says something is bad, then it's good.

But it does have an effect on dental health! A positive one!

The worst it does is put spots on your (cavity-resisting) teeth.

But having healthy teeth will prolong your life statistically so...

Fluoride does harm brain development, but only if you get way too much of it. This happens in some places where the natural water already contains a lot of fluoride. You absolutely don't want to add even more fluoride there.

But most places, especially in the US, the fluoride level is far below that, so far below that we have to add fluoride to the water to get enough to maintain dental health. But it's still far below the level that causes harm.

But IQ DOES have a long term effect on fluoridation!

I love how brainwashed right wingers pretend to be an authority on gender and sex, then believe shit like this.

When crunchy lefties were first spouting off about this, they at least had an explanation. It was a nonsense explanation rooted in woo-woo pseudoscience and mysticism, but it was at least an explanation. Also, most people were inoculated against that kind of bullshit, we knew they were slightly crazy and wrong, and it was a view that was relatively harmless and allowed to exist. Most places it was "go ahead, you do you - drink your fluoride-free water and let your teeth rot, but you have to source your water yourself - this municipality fluoridates for the public good, it's backed by science and dental experts, etc."

These new crazy people, most of them don't even have an explanation. (some of them are actually the same people, just moved down the alt-right pipeline after a couple decades of propaganda). If you were to ask them why they think fluoride is bad you could get responses ranging from blank stares to actual physical attacks. Transmission of conspiracy theories is so supercharged in this environment - all you have to do is jump on a bandwagon, and your buddies in the same club as you will give you the approval you desperately need just for wearing that opinion on your sleeve - no critical thought required, just base monkey instinct. This is such an irresistible way of belonging to some group and getting that special feeling that it's becoming a real problem for most of us.

A small minority of these folks are (small L) libertarians or anti-authoritarians who believe in bodily sovereignty. That's a rational thought process that I can actually sympathize with, so they get a minimum amount of points for having a comprehensible, defensible position. They just shouldn't be able to force their choice on everyone else. (That would seem to contradict their own philosophy anyway). The public good of fluoridation, backed by science and experts, should vastly outweigh even that position. As before with the crunchy hippies, fine, it's your right to choose what goes into your body - along with that comes the responsibility to take care of that for yourself, in line with your own stated ideals.

I'm all for replacing fluoride in water with ethanol. It lowers IQ, damages teeth, and fosters violence, but it'd be a lot more fun than fluoride.

I grew up in Moscow in the 80s, I think they tried fluoride in the water, but it wasn’t nearly enough to make a difference.

As a child, my teeth were atrocious. Constant cavities despite brushing and not eating a ton of sweets and never even trying soda.

After I moved here at 18, my teeth got significantly better. I’m glad there is fluoride in the water!

Fluoride has a special property that causes people's low IQ levels to be confirmed.

This study was funded by people that don't wear tinfoil hats outside. They're compromised.

good fucking god is that where we're at.

We always knew excess flouride fucked up your bones and teeth. That was the potential danger. We've known that since Colorado Springs. Why are we testing cognition.