Wrong: Fluoride in drinking water is a must
Fluoride was first added to tap water in America starting in the 1940s to prevent tooth decay, and it’s now in roughly two-thirds of American homes. (In Europe, only about 3% of residents have it.)
An analysis by the Cochrane Collaboration — an international non-profit that reviews medical research — found “very little contemporary evidence” that water fluoridation successfully prevented cavities, noting that studies suggesting otherwise were dated, poorly designed and did not take into account the fact that many people now use fluoride toothpaste.
Meanwhile, some research has raised concerns about the effect of fluoride on gut health and IQ in babies, as it can settle in fetal brain regions and effect neurotransmitters.
A 2019 study in JAMA Pediatrics found that “maternal exposure to higher levels of fluoride during pregnancy was associated with lower IQ scores” in young children.
More research is needed, but Makary notes this is yet another assumption we shouldn’t take for granted.
“If someone tells you that fluoridation of the water supply is entirely safe and essential for public health, that is an opinion, not a fact.”
Original article online at: https://nypost.com/2024/09/16/lifestyle/four-things-doctors-and-modern-medicine-got-totally-wrong/