Meryl Horn (Senior Producer, PhD)

So yeah, I asked Lindsay like where she lands after all this. Should we be putting fluoride in the water?

So yeah, I asked Lindsay like where she lands after all this. Should we be putting fluoride in the water?

Yeah, we talked about that research. Like it's something she's keeping an eye on, but so far it hasn't changed her mind on water fluoridation in general.

Yeah, we talked about that research. Like it's something she's keeping an eye on, but so far it hasn't changed her mind on water fluoridation in general.

I mean, they were really split, actually. I was surprised by how many scientists, including some dentists, who told me they think we should either stop or they were, like, seriously doubting it. Like, there is one that I talked to who used to be a big fluoride supporter. Yeah. And he'd been thinking more and more about this research.

I mean, they were really split, actually. I was surprised by how many scientists, including some dentists, who told me they think we should either stop or they were, like, seriously doubting it. Like, there is one that I talked to who used to be a big fluoride supporter. Yeah. And he'd been thinking more and more about this research.

And I asked him, like, all right, like, if you're in charge of the machine, do you cut it off?

And I asked him, like, all right, like, if you're in charge of the machine, do you cut it off?

And he just, like, paused for 20 seconds in silence while he, like, tried to figure out what to say. And then he just said, like, sorry, I can't give you an answer. We need more research. Which is kind of where I'm at. Like, I just, like, keep turning this over in my brain. I was going to say, I was just...

And he just, like, paused for 20 seconds in silence while he, like, tried to figure out what to say. And then he just said, like, sorry, I can't give you an answer. We need more research. Which is kind of where I'm at. Like, I just, like, keep turning this over in my brain. I was going to say, I was just...

I don't know. I am right there with him because, like, I can really see it from both sides. I think what's so hard about it for me is that I'm pretty convinced that the benefit to the teeth is real. But it's like, at the end of the day, it's still just the teeth.

I don't know. I am right there with him because, like, I can really see it from both sides. I think what's so hard about it for me is that I'm pretty convinced that the benefit to the teeth is real. But it's like, at the end of the day, it's still just the teeth.

Where, like, even if the science on the brain damage isn't as convincing, the stakes are so much higher that if the effect is real, we need to stop fluoridation, even if it is good for the teeth, obviously. We can't be giving people something that might be damaging their brains.

Where, like, even if the science on the brain damage isn't as convincing, the stakes are so much higher that if the effect is real, we need to stop fluoridation, even if it is good for the teeth, obviously. We can't be giving people something that might be damaging their brains.

What do you think?

What do you think?

We had a lot. 105 citations.

We had a lot. 105 citations.

Yeah, you can go to the show notes and then follow the links to the transcripts. But you can also send the angry emails if you want, you know. We don't mind.

Yeah, you can go to the show notes and then follow the links to the transcripts. But you can also send the angry emails if you want, you know. We don't mind.