LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — Tavares city leaders voted to table a discussion on whether to continue adding fluoride to the drinking water on Wednesday.
Council members said they want more time to review studies and will raise the question again at the next meeting in two weeks.
While the decades-long practice initially joined the public health initiatives to support dental health, state leaders say there may be other health effects to consider.
The dental debate has become a talking point for local governments and even medical professionals.
For example, a 2017 study in Mexico City showed that prenatal fluoride exposure was associated with a lower IQ in children ages 6 to 12, while a study in Canada showed a correlation between fluoride exposure and ADHD among children ages 6 to 17.
On Nov. 22, Florida's Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo announced his stance against water flouridation during a press conference, calling it a "public health malpractice" and claiming exposure to fluoride poses neurological risks, especially for pregnant women and young children, including behavioral and attention deficit problems.
However, a local pediatrician, Dr. Candice Jones, said fluoride is nowhere near toxic at the level it is consumed and that more than 70 years ago, when fluoride in water became a regular practice, the benefits were very clear.
“It was noticed that individuals who lived in communities that had natural occurring fluoride in the water had healthier teeth, and so at some point, it was decided to put a little bit of fluoride, I mean very little bit of fluoride, into water — about 0.7 mg/liter,” said Jones, a pediatrician at Orange Blossom Family Health.
Jones said that a small amount, even combined with toothpaste containing fluoride, would still not be enough to cause overexposure concerns.
She said the risk of fluorosis, or overexposure to fluoride, would have to result in more than 2 milligrams per liter, which, in her professional opinion is very hard to achieve.
Many studies show the benefits of fluoride, such as one from 2018.
“Thus, not only children benefit from fluoride as was previously assumed, but also adults, since it is more readily taken up by demineralized enamel than by sound enamel,” the study stated.
Despite using the practice since 1995, the Lake County municipality of 23,000 could see that reversed soon.
Tavares is one of three Lake County cities to provide fluoridated water. The other two are Eustis and Umatilla. Clermont and Leesburg, the county's two largest cities, do not provide fluoridated drinking water to residents.
While Tavares commissioners are divided on the issue, they all agree that more time and research is needed.
“As long as it’s in the proper amount. As long as we’re monitoring that, I got no problem with it,” councilmember Sandy Gamble said during the meeting.
“We have a lot more seniors in Tavares than we do children, and it’s been documented the damage to seniors and their brains from fluoride. And personally, I’d like to see us take it out," Mayor Walter Price Sr. expressed on Wednesday.
However, councilmember Bob Grenier said he wants more info on the matter.
“I still want more information. I still want to hear more. I want workshops. We have 23,000 people in the city of Tavares. I want to hear more,” Grenier said.
“I’ve heard that it’s good, it’s good. It’s good and then I’ve heard that it’s bad, it’s bad, it’s bad. And both of them were very....I believe both of them, so I’m confused with that,” Vice Mayor Lori Pfister expressed.
Phil Clark, the utilities department director, said it would cost approximately $35,000 a year to maintain fluoride in the water.
He said the chemical alone costs around $15,000. The water staff, who are paid for the sampling, maintenance and drive-time, cost an additional $4,000 to $5,000 a year.
The lab staff add another $3,000 to $5,000 annually.
Equipment maintenance accounts for another $5,000 and finally, another $1,000 yearly is spent on tank depreciation, since the city is responsible for purchasing a new $15,000 tank every 12 years.
However, one Doctor of Dental Medicine who attended the Wednesday meeting thinks it’s a bang for your buck.
“Not having to change any daily behaviors that you have and you’re receiving at least 25% cavity reductions,” Dr. Johnny Johnson Jr. said.
Two other health care professionals who spoke during public comment worry that removal of fluoride from drinking water could lead to an increase in dental related emergencies in the future and have a negative impact on marginalized communities who might not be able to afford dental care.
“You don’t see the silent majority here today. You don’t see those that are impoverished here today. Those are the people that are going to be affected the most,” Johnson expressed.
The city of Winter Haven in Polk County is the latest municipality in Florida to vote in November to remove fluoride from its water.
If you want to check to see if your county has fluoride in its water, you can visit the CDC’s My Water’s Fluoride page.