Michael Schulzen

And in general, I write a lot about scientific controversies and kind of debates over what science says and does not say.

And in general, I write a lot about scientific controversies and kind of debates over what science says and does not say.

And in general, I write a lot about scientific controversies and kind of debates over what science says and does not say.

This starts in the US in the early 20th century, largely from kind of incidental observations, which is that people drinking water with naturally occurring levels of fluoride seem to have some lower rates of tooth decay.

This starts in the US in the early 20th century, largely from kind of incidental observations, which is that people drinking water with naturally occurring levels of fluoride seem to have some lower rates of tooth decay.

This starts in the US in the early 20th century, largely from kind of incidental observations, which is that people drinking water with naturally occurring levels of fluoride seem to have some lower rates of tooth decay.

And by the 1940s, there were some public health researchers or some dental researchers who came to think that it seemed like the evidence was actually fairly strong, that there was something about the exposure of teeth to a little bit of added fluoride that could help to slow or prevent the effects of tooth decay.

And by the 1940s, there were some public health researchers or some dental researchers who came to think that it seemed like the evidence was actually fairly strong, that there was something about the exposure of teeth to a little bit of added fluoride that could help to slow or prevent the effects of tooth decay.

And by the 1940s, there were some public health researchers or some dental researchers who came to think that it seemed like the evidence was actually fairly strong, that there was something about the exposure of teeth to a little bit of added fluoride that could help to slow or prevent the effects of tooth decay.

So you start to see municipalities in the 1940s doing this. Wisconsin is a leader. Michigan is a leader. And some of the initial evidence that comes back from some of these interventions suggests that it's been really helpful. It's really helping to reduce rates of tooth decay, especially in children, and to improve oral health in these communities.

So you start to see municipalities in the 1940s doing this. Wisconsin is a leader. Michigan is a leader. And some of the initial evidence that comes back from some of these interventions suggests that it's been really helpful. It's really helping to reduce rates of tooth decay, especially in children, and to improve oral health in these communities.

So you start to see municipalities in the 1940s doing this. Wisconsin is a leader. Michigan is a leader. And some of the initial evidence that comes back from some of these interventions suggests that it's been really helpful. It's really helping to reduce rates of tooth decay, especially in children, and to improve oral health in these communities.

There's a specific story that I have been fascinated by for a long time, which is the story of Stevens Point, Wisconsin in the 1940s, where there was debate in the community about whether or not to add fluoride to the water. This was this exciting new possible intervention. Some local citizens felt some concerns about it.

There's a specific story that I have been fascinated by for a long time, which is the story of Stevens Point, Wisconsin in the 1940s, where there was debate in the community about whether or not to add fluoride to the water. This was this exciting new possible intervention. Some local citizens felt some concerns about it.

There's a specific story that I have been fascinated by for a long time, which is the story of Stevens Point, Wisconsin in the 1940s, where there was debate in the community about whether or not to add fluoride to the water. This was this exciting new possible intervention. Some local citizens felt some concerns about it.

They were worried that fluoride could be poisonous, that it could have some toxic effects, and they pushed back. and essentially were pushing for a referendum, seemed to have gotten the city council to stop, and then in secret, the city council decided to add fluoride to the water anyway, and did so before that process had finished.

They were worried that fluoride could be poisonous, that it could have some toxic effects, and they pushed back. and essentially were pushing for a referendum, seemed to have gotten the city council to stop, and then in secret, the city council decided to add fluoride to the water anyway, and did so before that process had finished.

They were worried that fluoride could be poisonous, that it could have some toxic effects, and they pushed back. and essentially were pushing for a referendum, seemed to have gotten the city council to stop, and then in secret, the city council decided to add fluoride to the water anyway, and did so before that process had finished.

And so some of the specific concerns that those people were raising about toxicity may not have borne out, right? But at the same time, if they were feeling like there was something about fluoride that was conspiratorial, in that case, they were correct, right? Elected officials in their community were going behind their back to do something that they had concerns about.

And so some of the specific concerns that those people were raising about toxicity may not have borne out, right? But at the same time, if they were feeling like there was something about fluoride that was conspiratorial, in that case, they were correct, right? Elected officials in their community were going behind their back to do something that they had concerns about.