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Water Fluoridation Linked to Higher ADHD Rates

newsweek.com

31–40 of 73 posts

Re: Water Fluoridation Linked to Higher ADHD Rates

#31

Ugh. I hate to think of all of the "I told you so's" from the misguided people in Portland who continually vote against fluoridating the water with no actual scientific basis for doing so.

Well, four votes within 60 years isn't exactly "continually", but I'll cede that point. Lots of Portlanders believe that fluoride is just fine, thank you (though the most recent vote was 60%-40%, sadly.)

Re: Water Fluoridation Linked to Higher ADHD Rates

#32
post #20

I think science articles should be banned from HN. The userbase is clearly not educated well enough to deal with the issues. It only produces comments from armchair scientists conjuring up whatever pet theory they can explain away the results with. Comments like the classic freshman stats quote "correlation does not equal causation", or the standard response starting with "Judging from the abstract", or the always in…

A healthy dose of skepticism is the reason I DO read Hacker News. There's no limit to the studies trumpeted in the news with inaccurate titles/conclusions. HN calls them out. Notwithstanding posts from folks with fashionably cynical attitudes.

Re: Water Fluoridation Linked to Higher ADHD Rates

#33
post #4

Correlation link only at this point. From the abstract: > Overall state water fluoridation prevalence (not distinguishing between fluoridation types) was also significantly positively correlated with state prevalence of ADHD for all but one year examined. [...] The relationship between fluoride exposure and ADHD warrants future study. Still, it will be interesting to see what more comes out of this.

For Newsweek, what comes out of it is clicks, obviously.

Re: Water Fluoridation Linked to Higher ADHD Rates

#34
post #29

Ugh. I hate to think of all of the "I told you so's" from the misguided people in Portland who continually vote against fluoridating the water with no actual scientific basis for doing so.

Whoops. I guess I'm uninformed on this one, but I thought the whole "Flouridation is bad" thing had some basis in truth? There have been a few other articles about it on HN. Any chance I can get a more elaborate correction?

Here's some decent background:

http://www.portlandmercury.com/portland/the-sanest-arguments...

Re: Water Fluoridation Linked to Higher ADHD Rates

#35
post #20

I think science articles should be banned from HN. The userbase is clearly not educated well enough to deal with the issues. It only produces comments from armchair scientists conjuring up whatever pet theory they can explain away the results with. Comments like the classic freshman stats quote "correlation does not equal causation", or the standard response starting with "Judging from the abstract", or the always in…

While I enjoy reading them :), I would tend to agree with you. As well as international politics, for example Ukraine and similar.

Re: Water Fluoridation Linked to Higher ADHD Rates

#36
post #20

I think science articles should be banned from HN. The userbase is clearly not educated well enough to deal with the issues. It only produces comments from armchair scientists conjuring up whatever pet theory they can explain away the results with. Comments like the classic freshman stats quote "correlation does not equal causation", or the standard response starting with "Judging from the abstract", or the always in…

The only topic that gets worse comments than science on HN is gender issues.

I think you're unfair there. If you want to see a diversity of opinions, that's exactly what we have--the fact that you disagree with one side or the other is quite your own problem.

Re: Water Fluoridation Linked to Higher ADHD Rates

#37
post #19

Hearsay/conspiracy theory... but I heard that fluoride doesn't help your teeth and that a general increase in hygiene occurred the same time that fluoride. I also heard that it is a byproduct of processing aluminium and they coaxed the government to put it into water rather than disposing of it responsibly.

Pure bullshit. Fluoride (F-) is a weak base. Dental plaque produces acid (H+) which is one cause of tooth decay. F- + H+ HF. The Fluoride neutralizes some of the acid to reduce tooth decay.

That's not the main way it protects the teeth. If you just wanted to neutralize the acids, you could rinse/drink with a buffer such as milk. Flouride works by integrating with your teeth. It forms a mineral that it is more resistant to acid attack than the mineral teeth are made of naturally.

Re: Water Fluoridation Linked to Higher ADHD Rates

#38

Ugh. I hate to think of all of the "I told you so's" from the misguided people in Portland who continually vote against fluoridating the water with no actual scientific basis for doing so.

So you're saying that science says we should treat all drugs as being safe unless proven to be harmful?

Or think more broadly. Fluoridation of water carries a massive public health benefit, particularly to poorer families. Given the frequency of exposure across locations and generations, what negative effect it has appears to be extraordinarily very mild at best, while the benefit it provides is significant.

Re: Water Fluoridation Linked to Higher ADHD Rates

#39
Yeah, in the same sense that Satoshi Nakamoto's name correlates strongly with that of a randomly-chosen 64-year-old engineer trying to enjoy a modest, quiet retirement in the Bay Area.

The "truthiness" factor of anything published in Newsweek lies somewhere between Mother Goose and the Brothers Grimm.

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