A new book teaches young children about critical thinking and evidence. It’s not only educational but colorful and funny. Too many adults are like Henry, the little boy in the story who rejects clear evidence and persists in what he wants to believe. Back in 2006 I wrote an article for Skeptical… read more "Announcing a New Children’s Book that Promotes Critical Thinking"
Do You Need Daily Treatment to Repair Damaged Enamel?
Does a toothpaste provide “next level” fluoride technology that you need to use every day? You know the answer. The commercial keeps airing on TV with annoying frequency. She’s a dentist, she wears a white coat, and viewers are expected to assume she is offering good advice. I find her voice… read more "Do You Need Daily Treatment to Repair Damaged Enamel?"
¿La fluoración del agua corriente hace que los niños sean menos inteligentes?
[This article is also available in English. Thanks to Pensar for the Spanish translation.] Los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades nombraron a la fluoración del agua comunitaria como uno de los diez mayores logros de la salud pública del siglo XX. En una declaración reciente, la… read more "¿La fluoración del agua corriente hace que los niños sean menos inteligentes?"
Does Public Water Fluoridation Make Children Less Intelligent?
[Este artículo está disponible en español. La traducción al español apareció por primera vez en la revista Pensar.] The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention named community water fluoridation one of 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century. In a recent statement, the American Dental Association (ADA) stressed that it is… read more "Does Public Water Fluoridation Make Children Less Intelligent?"
Water Fluoridation: Public Health, Not Poison
I think we can all agree that “Look, Mom – no cavities!” is good news. But we continue to disagree about the best way to achieve that. Fluoridation of public water sources remains controversial as a public health measure despite the strong evidence that fluoride prevents tooth decay. Public debates… read more "Water Fluoridation: Public Health, Not Poison"
Weston Price’s Appalling Legacy
One of our readers requested a post about the Weston A. Price Foundation (WAPF). I knew it was not a trustworthy source of medical information, but I had not imagined just how atrocious it really was. After spending some time on the website, I realized that it is not just a… read more "Weston Price’s Appalling Legacy"
Dr. David Villarreal’s “Holistic Dentistry:” Full of Holes?
I get a lot of e-mails from publicists offering suggestions for articles and interviews with their clients. I quickly delete most of them, but one recently caught my eye. It said that patients travel from as far as Europe and Africa to have California “holistic dentist” Dr. David Villarreal remove… read more "Dr. David Villarreal’s “Holistic Dentistry:” Full of Holes?"
Mercury Must Be Bad – If Not in Vaccines, In Teeth
Those of us who are baby boomers or older can remember playing with mercury when we were young. The thermometer broke, and you pushed the little globules around. Or you fooled around with the stuff in science class. My husband says he used to get mercury to flow over the… read more "Mercury Must Be Bad – If Not in Vaccines, In Teeth"