Bloomfield approves mass fluoridation of our water supply

[C_T_Russell]

I agree that adults should take responsibility for their own health, but the big benefit of water fluoridation is for young children, who cannot be expected to resist the heavy marketing of sweets and soft drinks.  I can still remember that when I was at primary school and forbidden by my parents to eat  sweets, I would use my lunch money to buy sweets instead of the fruit that I was supposed to be buying.  And I was a pretty well behaved child.  We all did it.  My teeth suffered as a consequence because there was no fluoridation back then.

Probably it was more relevant that toothpastes weren't fluoridated back then. Topical application of fluoride as is the case when you 'paint' it onto your actual teeth is a far more effective dental decay protection method than taking it systemically via drinking water.

Have you ever noticed that fluoridated toothpastes carry a bold "Do Not Swallow" warning? The stuff is a recognised toxin, but not when they put it in our drinking water for some reason???.

Yup, but ironically on the ISS, the astronauts swallow theirs because they "cant" spit it out in space, probably to do with hygiene reasons more than anything, you wouldnt want that floating around!
Fluoride only works topically, and you need a much higher amount like the levels in toothpaste to work.
Also the natural form most found in nature is calcium fluoride, its mechanism of action is different but actually works better, there are some toothpastes that even use it, Colgate also have products that use tin fluoride too.

Probably it was more relevant that toothpastes weren't fluoridated back then. Topical application of fluoride as is the case when you 'paint' it onto your actual teeth is a far more effective dental decay protection method than taking it systemically via drinking water.

Have you ever noticed that fluoridated toothpastes carry a bold "Do Not Swallow" warning? The stuff is a recognised toxin, but not when they put it in our drinking water for some reason???.

Like everything, it's all in the dosage - oxygen is toxic if you have too higher dose of it...  

From what I can gather you would need to eat a few tubes of toothpaste before you get even mild symptoms...

The main issue is it builds up in your body over time, might only be a few parts per million, but your body absorbs it and I think it goes to your bones, and possibly your brain, the theory is that the fluoride is what binds to other metals such as aluminum, which was linked to dementia at one point, but it seems that other factors may be at play and that its the fluoride that actually is an agent that combines with the aluminum to interfere with your neurons.
Only time will tell.