Rapunzel -
In all fairness, don't you think you're leaving a major factor out of your equation? Sugar?
It's pretty well known that the cheaper foods are commonly "packed" with sugar and these foods become very popular when income evades. Look at Walmart's earnings compared to say, Fresh Market. And I also think it's pretty well known that refined sugar "attacks the bones", starting with the teeth.
And there's plenty of things the state could do for our children, but doesn't. I'd be more than happy to apply more of my tax dollars to our children and even pay more, but unfortunately the government seems to have free rein lately - let's just say their kinda hard to talk to.
Maybe in an indirect way this thread will start some kind of awareness and action for the children that need it. But please don't make us all drink their fluorinated water.
(Wow - that last guy was kinda loud!)
I'm not suggesting you drink the fluoride. I am just urging you to support the only organization in our area that seems to be doing anything to protect children's teeth in this area if you're going to oppose fluoridation. I think many people lose sight of how large this county really is, and how many of it's people live on the margins. I've been blessed to have to do a lot of volunteer work up in DeFuniak and further north in the last few months, and it's really opened my eyes to how much of a bubble we live in down here in SoWal. I think I'm safe in saying most people in our community (Walton County) don't have access -- whether they can't afford the prices or the two hour drive from Paxton -- to Fresh Market through no particular fault of their own.
And yes, while sugar is probably a big part of the problem, a child isn't really able to make their own food choices and shouldn't be blamed. Fluoride might give them some protection. But, if the tiny amounts of fluoride that would provide that protection are that objectionable (and remember, fluoride is naturally occuring in many water systems, and the fact that the people living in areas with naturally fluoridated water had healthier teeth prompted the discovery -- fluoride is a supplement, like vitamin C 18th century sailors -- a megadose of vitamin C can do harm) then I encourage you to embrace the yin and yang of your position and really get involved in doing something to help children in urgent need of help.
Children's Volunteer Health Network has a bus that is a dental lab. They visit area schools and give fluoride treatments, cleanings, teach kids to brush, etc. That is why I mentioned CVHN in an earlier post. As far as children in need of dental care -- it's a major problem in this county.
I'm all about the ethics of the yin and yang of issues lately. I think some of us often forget the unintended consequences of our passionate beliefs. Fluoride is a cheap fix for a complex problem. I'm not a particular fan of fluoridated water, but I'd take it over the knowledge that a five year old needs $450 before she can have an abcess treated (her physician did give antibiotics to control the infection, but the nerve is still exposed), and her parents are service industry workers who won't be able to come up with that kind of money until the season gets back in swing. In the meantime, she's in terrible pain. If you really hate the idea of fluoride, I just encourage you to actively do something to help these children -- whether it's giving to CVHN or working to improve the diets of local children (Kendra with the IFAS Extension service is working on a slow food project you could get involved with). If you do choose the more difficult row to hoe, I have nothing but respect and support for your position on fluoride.