Why do some toothpaste brands advertise as "fluoride-free" if fluoride is supposedly beneficial for dental health?

The discussion highlights a compelling paradox in the fluoride debate through Eddie Bravo's observation about fluoride-free toothpaste marketing. For decades, consumers have been conditioned to seek out fluoride in toothpaste as the active ingredient that prevents cavities and kills germs. Yet the existence and marketing of "fluoride-free" alternatives suggests there's consumer demand for avoiding this ingredient. This contradiction raises questions about fluoride's safety profile. If fluoride were universally beneficial with no downsides, there would be no market incentive for companies like Tom's to advertise fluoride-free products as a selling point. The conversation suggests that simple oral hygiene practices like regular brushing might be more important than the specific ingredients used, challenging the conventional wisdom about fluoride's necessity in dental care.