EP 272: Something Different | Dr. Frank Zelko
May 5, 2025
How important is fluoride for preventing cavities? And is it safe for us and our kids? Dr. Frank Zelko joins the show to tackle these questions. Dr. Zelko is a professor at the University of Hawaii and has a PhD in environmental history. He is currently working on a book about the history of water fluoridation and the latest research regarding its efficacy and health effects. Expect to go on a fascinating historical journey, and learn about the latest science so you can make your own decision about your drinking water. You can learn more about Dr. Zelko at manoa.hawaii.edu
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Show Notes:
Frank’s Links:
Nuggets:
00:00:00 – Intro
00:01:33 – Environmental History
00:04:21 – Becoming interested in water fluoridation
00:08:25 – My introduction to Frank
00:11:17 – Colorado Brown Stain
00:18:26 – Alcoa & indentifying fluoride
00:21:41 – Naturally occurring fluoride
00:25:41 – Cavities in the 1930s
00:28:06 – The sweet spot
00:30:54 – Fluoride waste & preliminary research
00:35:28 – Fluoride toxicosis symptoms
00:44:11 – Dentistry & carries
00:52:55 – Early health studies
00:56:14 – Adding fluoride to the water
01:00:31 – The Florida phosphate industry
01:06:30 – The push for fluoridation
01:17:19 – Scientific pushback & conspiracy theories
01:25:52 – Suppression of anti-fluoride research
01:28:32 – Parallels & pendulums
01:31:01 – More recent studies on fluoride
01:35:37 – The efficacy of fluoridation on cavities
01:41:43 – The fluoridation for low-income argument
01:42:40 – Where we’re at now
01:44:41 – Should we be filtering our water?
01:50:55 – Toothpaste
01:55:08 – Tea & other recommendations
01:58:42 – Politics & fluoride debates
02:06:27 – Vaccines & serious diseases
02:10:55 – PFAs, microplastics, & fire retardants
02:13:59 – Where to find Dr. Zelko