Years ago it began as concern among health-conscious people about the substance's presence in toothpaste. Apparently, toothpaste manufacturers were paying attention; In the past it was nearly impossible to find toothpastes free of sodium fluoride, but luckily that trend has reversed. Much has been made recently in alternate news publications of cities around the world adding fluoride to the drinking water, and the logical objections of a well-informed citizenry. Obviously, many people know that fluoride is bad, but what is it really? Read on to find out.

Sodium fluoride defined: A "pickling" agent with many industrial applications