Why water fluoridation is a good policy

Why water fluoridation is a good policy
(Image credit: iStock)

Since the days of Dr. Strangelove, there have been persistent worries that water fluoridation is dangerous. Only last year, the city of Portland rejected a proposal to fluoridate its water supply for the fourth time since 1956.

Aaron Carroll takes a look at the evidence below. As is often the case with these stories, there are two categories of evidence: First, a few small studies, with weak experimental design or on unusual situations, suggesting there might be some negative effect. Second, more numerous, larger, better designed studies disproving the first category.

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Ryan Cooper

Ryan Cooper is a national correspondent at TheWeek.com. His work has appeared in the Washington Monthly, The New Republic, and the Washington Post.