this post was submitted on 18 Jan 2026
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[–] Infamousblt@hexbear.net 19 points 2 months ago (6 children)

I don't understand the rationale behind making people have bad teeth. Like most imperialist capitalist shit I understand but this one just...makes no sense

[–] queermunist@lemmy.ml 23 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

It's giving Accumulation of Waste. They can extract more profit from commodified dentistry than prevention, so they want to actively produce as many bad teeth as possible. Sure it doesn't produce real value, but they don't really care about that.

[–] T34_69@hexbear.net 8 points 2 months ago

Sure it doesn't produce real value, but they don't really care about that.

It produces real problems, which is just as good for the profit seekers!

[–] buttwater@hexbear.net 14 points 2 months ago

"less government regulation"

Cuts one more cost

Only negatively affects the poor

[–] Homer_Simpson@hexbear.net 10 points 2 months ago (1 children)
[–] Infamousblt@hexbear.net 8 points 2 months ago

Teeth armor DLC coming next month

[–] LaughingLion@hexbear.net 8 points 2 months ago

in capitalism teeth are luxury bones

[–] marxisthayaca@hexbear.net 7 points 2 months ago

You cannot have public health initiatives be successful and stay successful, because that is a threat to capital.

[–] rando895@lemmygrad.ml 4 points 2 months ago

One of two things imo, (1) either purely ideological, or (2) intentionally putting up a new fence to restrict access to a commodity for greater profits.

(1) The government enacting these regulations stifles innovation, making it impossible to find better solutions for healthier teeth, and preventing communities (individuals really) from making their own decisions about their body.

(2) The most efficient way to do things (fluoride for teeth) is collectively through municipal water sources. This is bad for profits/gdp. By not providing it (and potentially destroying old infrastructure) new markets are opened or expanded for fluoride, and a new "need" for new infrastructure is created, resulting in new profits/increased gdp.

Bonus background reason: The more you can convince the citizens of your country of, the easier it is to control them

Bonus Bonus reason: It gives "opposing" factions something to fight about that isn't the class war, effectively distracting people from the on-going -gestures wildly at everything the west does-

Basically using these 4 things as a starting point for all "why are government doing" questions in the west can help us understand it, and not fall down the thought terminating (cough liberal cough) rabbit hole of "gawd they are so stupid/evil! I can't wait until the wet cheeto isn't in power anymore! #love"

[–] FlakesBongler@hexbear.net 18 points 2 months ago
[–] invalidusernamelol@hexbear.net 14 points 2 months ago
[–] Collatz_problem@hexbear.net 12 points 2 months ago

Combating the communist plot to pollute the precious bodily fluids!

[–] Commiechameleon@hexbear.net 6 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (2 children)

I get the fluoride in the water is good for teeth but I've heard that there are negative side effects, don't know if that's hokum(?). but that can be solved with proper filtration, or if you want to remove it from the water supply, hear me out, free dentistry and include it with healthcare.

[–] T34_69@hexbear.net 16 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Fluoride naturally occurs in groundwater in varying concentrations. Optimal concentrations inhibit bacterial growth and help maintain enamel. Excessive fluoride concentrations can cause fluorosis, especially in kids.

With fluorosis basically the fluoride ions have overaccumulated in the teeth or skeleton, which messes with bone metabolism and can cause osteoporosis, osteosclerosis, arthritis, and/or loss of tooth enamel, depending on where and how severely the body is affected. These problems are endemic to certain regions of the world with high fluoride in the ground, like the Great East African Rift Valley.

Too low and you get faster tooth decay. Too high and the fluoride causes bone problems. There's plenty of research into fluorosis and it's pretty well understood. That's more or less the typical research-based explanation of fluoride. Then there's the Alex Jones, RFK brainworm story of fluoride which is completely different.

[–] Commiechameleon@hexbear.net 5 points 2 months ago

Very informative. Mainly have heard parallels to Nazi Germany and being used for mind control spooky noises. So ty for the actual info in the dangers and not just woo woo bs.

[–] KobaCumTribute@hexbear.net 8 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

The only thing I've ever heard about are studies on places where groundwater is contaminated with industrial waste that also happens to be very high in fluorides. So when drinking water has massive, uncontrolled doses of fluoride and who knows what else, there are detectable developmental problems.