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Jun 2025
1h 2m

Ep 178 Fluoride 1: The real tooth fairy

Exactly Right and iHeartPodcasts
About this episode

Is it just us, or does it seem like every other week there’s a new headline about some state or town banning water fluoridation? As it turns out, this has been going on for decades, basically since fluoride was first introduced. Why are some people opposed to fluoride? Is there any basis to their fears? What does fluoride actually do? And how the heck did we find out about it? This week and next, we’re deep diving into our first dental discussion about this revolutionary mineral. In the first of these episodes, we explore the origins of fluoridation and the outcry against it - how did tuberculosis, a gold rush town, and a dentist with an insatiable curiosity set the stage for one of the greatest public health achievements of the 20th century? And why has there been pushback against it since its inception? Tune in to find out.

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