Fluoride in our water system

frostman on 21/12/2015 - 09:31

I've had this long, ongoing debate with a nut-job at my work.

We got onto the question: "Why does Australia include fluoride in our water systems"
Water_fluoridation_in_Australia

Australia is one of many countries that have water fluoridation programs currently operating (see Fluoridation by country)

So his argument (in a nutshell) is that Australia cares about the society, hence it's a form of incentive.

My argument is that this is a load of shit. Why would the government spend $X / year to add fluoride in the water system. If it cared about the society's dental woes, then it would subsidize various denture benefits such as dental costs.

There's a theory that excess fluoride makes you less resisting to change, gullible, etc

Food & Grocery

closed Comments

  • Vampyr on 21/12/2015 - 09:44
    +10

    So you want us to save a smaller amount on fluoride so that we can spend most of our tax dollars retrospectively fixing teeth and funding dentists' lifestyles?

  • ESEMCE on 21/12/2015 - 09:48
    +17

    NOTE- this is frostman's second "trolling" health conspiracy post..
    The first, confusing Phenylalanine as a "dangerous" metabolic by-product of Aspartame sweetener.
    https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/226164

    Pretty sure Queensland doesn't have a fluoridation program and dental issues there are far higher.
    Source, my vague memory of an ABC doco from 10+ years ago.

    Adding Flouride to the water system is cheap and preventative. Certainly a hell of a lot cheaper than sending the population to Dentists on public dime.

    Most anti-fluoridation people use toothpaste with Fluoride in it… unwittingly self-defeating their stance.

      • ESEMCE on 21/12/2015 - 10:36
        +13

        When it looks like a troll, and smells like a troll, there's a fair chance it's a troll.
        Calling it how I see it.

        • PJC on 21/12/2015 - 11:10
          +2

          @frostman: scubacoles also is free to reply as he sees fit.

        • frostman on 21/12/2015 - 11:14
          -4

          @PJC:

          Unrelated posts are not welcome, unless they're related to the forum topic

          When you post your crap about:

          Which Wi-Fi ADSL2+ modem should I purchase?

          I'm sure you wouldnt appreciate me advising you to get NBN, or something unrelated.

        • PJC on 21/12/2015 - 11:15
          +1

          @frostman: You were free to reply to my crap as you saw fit.

        • ESEMCE on 21/12/2015 - 11:16
          +1

          @frostman:
          Haven't negged once in either thread, but feel free to keep lecturing and hurling abuse at me if it makes you feel more mature than me.

    • biltong2go on 21/12/2015 - 10:30

      "Most anti-fluoridation people use toothpaste with Fluoride in it… unwittingly self-defeating their stance."

      I don't know how you figure that, because fluoride is one of the biggest marketing points of most toothpastes and by law it has to be written somewhere on the box. It is far more likely that if you're anti-fluoride, you just wouldn't buy fluoride toothpaste.
      I specifically buy fluoride-free toothpaste, not because I'm a conspiracy theorist, but I do believe we get enough fluoride from natural sources like food and water (fluoride is even found naturally in water, in its natural form, unlike the kind they add to the public water supply), and excess fluoride creates a mottled appearance in teeth.

      • ESEMCE on 21/12/2015 - 10:35
        +4

        " in its natural form, unlike the kind they add to the public water supply"

        Seriously?
        The "Natural" Flouride is different to the added Fluoride now?

        • frostman on 21/12/2015 - 10:48

          Seriously?
          The added Vitamin C is different to the one you get in Oranges??

    • tryagain on 21/12/2015 - 11:06
      +3

      Pretty sure Queensland doesn't have a fluoridation program and dental issues there are far higher.

      The Queensland Government introduced ordered a mandatory roll-out of adding fluoride to water in 2008 for this exact reason. Due to a change in government and a change in the law some councils I believe have since stopped adding it where the "nut job" arguments have prevailed.

  • elusive on 21/12/2015 - 09:50
    +2

    …And you're calling him a "nut-job"? Uhm.

    If it cared about the society's dental woes, then it would subsidize various denture benefits such as dental costs.

    There's more than one way to improve dental health, and what just because you think another way is better does not necessarily make it so. And, seriously? You think subsidising dentures (which I have no problem with in addition to other measures) as a replacement for preventative measures, controversial as they may be, is a good idea? Sure, let's just knock out everyone's teeth so they can get cheap dentures!

  • Hellfire on 21/12/2015 - 10:12
    +5

    Not sure about the science but I lived in an area without town water while I had my baby teeth. Despite brushing my teeth twice daily (my father was a little obsessed) I had about a dozen fillings by the time I was 6. I then moved to the city and have less than that some 30 odd years later. I'm convinced that fluoride in the water supply has a beneficial effect on tooth decay.

    • OldBugger on 21/12/2015 - 11:10

      I've used rainwater all my life and only had one filling which was put in a long time ago now. Then again, I'm not much of a sweet tooth

  • supnigs super skids on 21/12/2015 - 10:55
    +6

    Fluoride is good for teeth! It's great we have it in the water system. Good on us!

    What do you think of immunisations ? Im sure that will pop up next lol

    • frostman on 21/12/2015 - 10:56
      -1

      So people who drink bottled water, such as my parents who've had the 15Ltr Aqua Coolers for 10 years have been been missing out? oh dear

      • supnigs super skids on 21/12/2015 - 11:14
        +3

        Nah man, ya mum is missing out on the good stuff and as a result introduced you into this wonderfully curious world where trolling is abundant. Move along now

        • frostman on 21/12/2015 - 11:22
          -3

          Yep, please take that very advise to move along from my post. Can I tempt you away with a carrot or some Won-Ton Noodle?

    • dw121212 on 21/12/2015 - 11:05

      Someones drinking the Fluoride kool-aid

      • frostman on 21/12/2015 - 11:08

        OR, not drinking enough water resulting in reduced mental and cognitive abilities

  • airzone on 21/12/2015 - 11:02
    +4

    It's to stop people from asking too many questions about contrails.

  • Moderatorhamza23 on 21/12/2015 - 11:31

    Comments are closed

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