"For the few seconds people brush their teeth"? That's not how fluoridated drinking water works. Fluoridated water works all of the time, not just when brushing teeth, and it's not a vital chemical that the body craves.
You are missing something. If you're this confused about a topic, you should at a bare minimum read the Wikipedia page.
Yeah because in Europe we add fluoride and iodine to table salt, as well as to our toothpaste.
Also, we don't have anywhere close to the sugar consumption the US has, which keeps both our diabetes and dental health issues at rates far below the US.
The questions you posed are not questioning fluoride, they're asking what the basic premise even is. If you don't understand that, you are far from the position needed to be evaluating and analyzing the necessity or benefits of it.
The Wikipedia page you mentioned reading also points out that it's not only a US thing. Or even a water-only thing.
When I see an argument with a phrase like "basic premise" I know I'm reading some word mambo jambo, otherwise the author would just give their summary of that "basic premise" instead of deadlinking it (refer to something without actually referring it).
You don't have an argument yourself, you just wanted to share that you are pro some position.
There are clear factual errors in the underlying assumptions of what was stated about water fluoridation. Those are simply table stakes for having a discussion about anything at all. If one thinks that water fluoridation is useful "just for a few seconds," that it's not done outside of the United States, that it's a replacement for toothpaste, that it's a vital chemical, or that we don't fortify other foods, then they do not know enough about the topic to talk about it, let alone hold the opinion that they know better.
If someone came in with a curious mindset, that'd be one thing. But this is someone walking into a room with an agenda (get rid of fluoride) and a shocking lack of knowledge about that agenda.
>If someone came in with a curious mindset, that'd be one thing. But this is someone walking into a room with an agenda (get rid of fluoride) and a shocking lack of knowledge about that agenda.
But since "Internet People Lie About Fluoride,"[0] why are you surprised? And that's nothing new.
Why? I have no idea. Perhaps cpursley[1] could enlighten us?
Yeah, exactly - she made my point. Buy proper toothpaste with fluoride. Brush after ever meal. I understand the chemistry and am an obsessive brusher. If the Danish don't need it in their DRINKING water, nor do we.
Just brush your teeth after every meal, you will be fine like the Finns. And prob a higher IQ like them, as well (without all the unnecessary floride in the water).
PSA: brushing your teeth directly after eating is actually detrimental, because the acids in food soften the enamel on your teeth. That layer needs to harden first (wait 20-30 minutes), otherwise your toothbrush will strip it away: https://www.cuimc.columbia.edu/news/brushing-immediately-aft...
You are missing something. If you're this confused about a topic, you should at a bare minimum read the Wikipedia page.