John Batchelor kicked things off with a personal anecdote -- as a child in the 1950s, cavities were common for him, but his children, born in the 1990s, had virtually none. He asked why this shift.
I outlined how fluoridation of water, fluoride in toothpaste, and treatments by dentists have transformed dental health. As a result, the incidence of cavities plummeted, saving billions in dental costs and preventing broader health issues like gum disease, which can lead to heart problems.
John asked about the uneven adoption of fluoridation across U.S. states and whether fluoridation remains a point of contention. The answer is that poorer states, often lacking fluoridation, suffer the most, leaving vulnerable populations at greater risk. Like vaccine skepticism, it is frequently the subject of a pseudo-debate fueled by misinformation such as a controversial 2019 paper on fluoride and IQ, which failed to account for confounding factors.
John and I both recalled the absurd anti-fluoride scene in Dr. Strangelove, which lampooned fears that persist today.
You can hear our entire conversation here.
Looking for more?
Water Fluoridation: Science, Myths, and Public Health Realities
The Fluoride Controversy Never Dies
Thinking Out Loud: The Ethics in Community Water Fluoridation
Henry I. Miller, MS, MD
Henry I. Miller, MS, MD, is the Glenn Swogger Distinguished Fellow at the American Council on Science and Health. His research focuses on public policy toward science, technology, and medicine, encompassing a number of areas, including pharmaceutical development, genetic engineering, models for regulatory reform, precision medicine, and the emergence of new viral diseases. Dr. Miller served for fifteen years at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in a number of posts, including as the founding director of the Office of Biotechnology.
