Fluoride, Water, and Kids’ Brains

A new study suggests fluoride exposure in utero might affect neurobehavior later on. But, honestly, it’s complicated.

I recently looked back at my folder full of these medical study commentaries and realized I’ve been doing this for a long time. More than 400 articles, believe it or not.

And I’ve learned a lot in that time — about Medicine of course — but also about how people react to certain topics. If you’ve been with me this whole time, or even for just a chunk of it, you’ll know I tend to take a measured approach to most topics — no one study is ever truly definitive after all. But regardless of how even-keeled I may be, there are some topics that I just know in advance are going to be a bit… divisive. There are studies about gun control. There are studies about Vitamin D.

And of course, there are studies about fluoride.

Shall we shake this hornet’s nest?

The fluoridation of the US water system began in 1945 with the goal of reducing cavities in the population. The CDC named water fluoridation one of the ten great public health achievements of the 20th century, alongside such inarguable achievements like the recognition of tobacco as a health hazard.