Fluoride, an ingredient often found in toothpaste, has been opposed online for causing brain fogginess and bone stiffness. It is used in toothpastes or mouthwashes because of its properties of replenishing minerals usually lost in normal use, like chewing, drinking sodas, etc. Although there may not be concrete research to support claims that fluoride poorly reflects on the body, Utah still moved to create a ban against fluoride in state drinking water. Dentists and national organizations debate by saying this motion will lead to increased medical risk and affect low-income communities.
Lawmakers who pushed for the ban claimed that adding fluoride to the drinking water was becoming too expensive, with others saying that water should not be “medicated” by the government. On the contrary, lawmakers who fought against the ban saw this motion as an arrogance towards dental care, as cavities are children’s most popular chronic disease.
In drinking water, only low amounts of fluoride are added to the water, which has been a great medical innovation and helped sharply decrease the number of cavity incidents. However, some people are concerned about the other risks on the body, with even a federal judge ordering the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to regulate fluoride in drinking water better as it can stunt children’s intellectual development. However, the president of the American Dental Association, Brett Kessler, has stated that the amounts of fluoride added to drinking water are below levels considered problematic.
Additionally, the ban will affect low-income communities who are not able to afford dental care as often. Drinking water that contains fluoride will naturally prevent them from dental issues as they drink water, and the minimal amounts will pose no harmful side effects. Now the number of cavity cases from low-income families are expected to rise when the ban takes effect.
Utah lawmakers wish to give citizens the right to determine what is put in their drinking water, however it may be doing more harm than good. By eradicating a source of low-level fluoride, kids and those from low-income families will be more at risk of cavities and dental problems later in life. This can affect the price of getting cavities fixed by driving the already high cost up due to the expected demand. Not only are children and low-income families being cut off from a very important source of dental protection, but now they may not be able to afford fixing their dental problems. Perhaps by addressing how we can support our newer generations and low-income families is how we, as a society, move forward to supporting America’s needs before the needs of a budget.
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