TAVARES, Fla. — Tavares city leaders approved removing fluoride from the city's drinking water supply at a council meeting on Wednesday.

What You Need To Know

  • Tavares city leaders voted 4-1 to remove fluoride from the city's drinking water supply 

  • Ahead of the vote, Florida's Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo, a critic of water fluoridation, spoke to the council

  • Debate on the topic was initially tabled two weeks ago when leaders said they wanted more time to review studies

The motion passed 4-1, with the only opposition being council member Sandy Gamble.

Debate on the topic was initially tabled two weeks ago when leaders said they wanted more time to review studies.

Ahead of the vote, Florida’s Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo made an unexpected appearance and spoke to the council.

Ladapo has been a recent outspoken critic of fluoridation of drinking water, 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.

“I don’t understand why anyone who can read and therefore can read the studies is still defending it,” Ladapo said at the meeting.

Most of the council members, including the mayor and vice mayor, felt it wasn’t fair to force fluoride to its residents, claiming those who want to ingest fluoride can get it through other ways.

“If you happen to get more of this toothpaste in your mouth than you need to brush your teeth, that you should seek medical help — or call a poison control center immediately,” said Mayor Walter B. Price, Sr. “So why are we putting that in our water?”

“Both sides win because you can still get your fluoride and you don’t have to have the fluoride if you don’t want it,” said Vice Mayor Lori Pfister.

At public comment earlier this month, medical health professionals expressed concerns about the move.

“Not having to change any daily behaviors that you have and you’re receiving at least 25% cavity reductions,” said Dr. Johnny Johnson Jr., a Doctor of Dental Medicine. “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.”

Spectrum News also spoke with a Tavares dentist that says their job will now be to educate patients on the benefits of fluoride, now that it will be permanently removed from the water.

“Some patients come back at their regular six months, four-month intervals and I can see that the tooth minerals breaking down (and) they’re using a more natural toothpaste without the fluoride,” said Dr. Nick Potter.

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 currently provide fluoridated drinking water to residents, though Leesburg officials narrowly voted to add fluoride to the drinking supply on Tuesday.