This article had potential but ends up quoting social media posts on Reddit rather than report: “How Does This Make Us Healthy Again?”: People’s Jaws Are On The Floor After RFK Jr. Admitted One Of His Health Initiatives Could Be Harmful

The issue, not presented in the click-bait headline, is whether fluoride should be mandated for public water systems. Fluoride occurs naturally in some ground water, but in (just) 24 countries it has been added – turning water into a drug delivery service. Adding fluoride is banned in much of Europe. Fluoride can also be delivered via oral tablets or toothpaste.

About 95% of the world does not have fluoride added to their water, and just a tiny sliver has natural fluoride in their water.

Public health: Most countries do not add fluoride to drinking water – Coldstreams

About 24 countries (372 to 400 million people) add fluoride to water, and another 57 million drink water with higher naturally occurring fluoride levels. At the bottom line, the overwhelming majority of the world does not add fluoride to drinking water.

In some countries, naturally occurring fluoride levels are so high that this has led to health problems.

Fluoride in toothpaste and improved dental hygiene has resulted in fewer dental caries than in the past, such that assumed benefits from fluoridated water may be smaller today.

The article omits this broad context.

Buzz Feed is a content mill and known for publishing bad journalism. This is their article writer:

Kelley Greene

Hello! I’m a Resident Writer here at BuzzFeed, based in Chicago. I cover topics like politics, weird history, tech, trending viral stories, and other various corners of the internet. I am a chronically online nerd who loves pop culture, endless scrolling, and a good Wikipedia rabbit hole.

She has a BA in history and anthropology.