Whether flouride is added or removed from tap water in the US depends on how much is in it to begin with - the goal is to bring flouride levels in line with a concentration known to be safe and theraputic. Most of the scare studies about how flouride is going to kill us all is based on data from parts of rural China where the amount of naturally occurring flouride in the water (including well water) is dangerously high (many times more than anywhere in the US).

She is a nail tech and her dentist has been a client for a decade or so. She convinced her that she has the fine motor skills and temperament to be a dentist. She also said she would hire her if she did it.

That's very cool.

Most water systems in New Jersey (the last I knew) didn't fluoridate the water.

I just checked, and about 14% of NJ residents get fluoridated water. That 14% must be concentrated in the NY suburbs, since that's where my dental hygienist said that she could see the difference between the people who grew up with fluoride and the ones who didn't. (Oh, and, huh. I just looked up the water company that serves the town where I grew up, and their webpage says they don't add fluoride to the water. So, I guess I must just genetically have really good teeth, then.)

I think our well water had flouride, or some other mineral that was good for teeth.

When I was a kid, before fluoridation was as common as it is, we had fluoride drops that my mother dripped into our orange juice (my sister and I) in the mornings. Then they started adding fluoride to the town's water (came from a well and only needed minimal treatment - it was delicious - spoiled me for all other tap water) and we stopped getting the drops. I still had bunches of cavities, and I know my sister had some, but not as bad.

My mother had capped front teeth; she had a serious overbite, so it mostly worked out, but I remember periodic panics when one of the caps came loose. My father had pretty good teeth, except for the ones he ground down to the gumline and the front teeth I kicked out as a baby (wearing my first hard shoes).

Congratulations Jessica and Plei!

I just realized that I came to wok with my dress on inside out

I hope you owned it. By next week, everyone will be wearing their clothes that way!

I have perfectly straight teeth and they are naturally relatively white. But I've had way more than my fair share of cavities, despite doing a decent job caring for them. Although I definitely agree that depression is not good for dental hygiene. I've slacked off a lot the last few years, particularly with flossing, and I am sure it will catch up to me eventually.

All day dental talk?

I shouldn't be surprised.

Tonight is karate and I am pretty sore from Tuesday's class b/c he had us do push-ups. Hoping to learn a new defense tonight. Then I'll have learned half of the ones I have to know for my first belt test. I think i will be able to test in early March.

That seems so fast!

ETA hence my tag I suppose

Now I have hiccups that won't stop. Today is the worst.

And now I've discovered that I've double-booked myself and will have to try and find someone to buy a concert ticket off me. The woooorst.