Social media and community water fluoridation

Background: 95% of US teens and 81% of adults use the Internet. Social media is used by 69% of US Internet users, with Facebook and Twitter together having over 150 billion users. This study describes anti-fluoridation activity and dominance of the Internet and social media, both of which are fluoridation information sources. Methods: Monthly website traffic to major fluoridation information websites was determined from June 2011 to May 2012. Facebook, Twitter and YouTube fluoridation activity was categorized in March and April 2012 as pro or anti-fluoridation, a local or general issue, what type of media was utilized, and how it was shared. Results: Anti-fluoridation website traffic exceeds pro-fluoridation activity five to sixty fold, i.e. 133,570 average anti-fluoridation monthly page views versus 2231, 8794, and 27040 pro-fluoridation monthly page views, depending on the website. The anti-fluoridationists use social plug-ins for Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube and there were no social media plug-ins on the fluoridation sections of the ADA, CDC, NIDCR, and WHO. Cancer, useless, and poisonous were the three major arguments used against fluoridation. Conclusions: Anti-fluoridation information significantly dominates the Internet, and social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Thousands of people are being misinformed daily about the safety, health and economic benefits of fluoridation.