Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava on Friday announced she was “following the guidance of medical experts” and vetoing a measure to stop adding fluoride to the county’s local water supply.
The county commission had voted 8-2 last week to end the practice, as about two dozen local governments in the state have previously done.
The veto comes after Levine Cava, a Democrat, hosted a roundtable with medical experts, dentists and parents about the issue.
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At a press conference Friday, the mayor said that no major study indicated fluoride levels in Miami-Dade drinking water were at unsafe levels.
“Ending fluoridation could have real and lasting harm, especially for children and families who cannot afford regular dental care. We've seen it happen elsewhere. Cities that ended fluoridation only to see cavities skyrocket. Emergency dental visits increase and vulnerable communities bear the brunch," said Levine Cava, standing with several dentists at the podium.
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Fluoridation has been a common practice across the country for decades to prevent tooth decay, especially in children. Proponents also say it makes the mineral available to vulnerable populations who do not have regular access to dental care or products such as toothpaste that contain fluoride.
Among the backers of keeping fluoride in water are the American Academy of Pediatrics and American Dental Association.
Fluoride has been added in Miami-Dade water since 1958.
However, over the past year, there has been a push to end fluoridation after studies found that the fluoride in amounts more than what is permitted in water supplies can affect the cognitive development of children. A 2024 study reported that higher levels in pregnant women may increase the odds of their children having neurobehavioral issues.
For opponents of the practice, it became a matter of including a medical additive without the permission of the individual.
ALSO READ: Miami-Dade commissioners cast doubt on Ladapo's evidence against fluoride
“No to forced medication!” Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis wrote on X on Thursday night.
In March, before the commission vote, the county’s Safety and Health Committee heard testimony from anti-fluoridation proponents, including state Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo. Ladapo also spoke to the commission before last week's vote.
Ladapo called the veto "a sad development for the people in her community, and a step backwards for public health."
"The Commission, led by Commissioner Roberto Gonzalez, made the right call in response to growing scientific evidence about water fluoridation's risks, particularly to children and pregnant women. My hope is that the Commissioners stay true to their beliefs and override the veto, on behalf of the Miami-Dade families they represent," Ladapo's statement read.
An override would require two-thirds of the commissioners taking part in the vote, which is expected to take place during a May 6 meeting.
“I urge my colleagues to once again join me in rising above the political fray and do what’s right for the people, their health and individual freedom,” Gonzalez, the Republican who introduced the resolution, wrote on social media.
A measure in the Legislature may make local fluoride decisions unnecessary. A wide-sweeping agriculture bill moving through the Legislature would prohibit “additives,” including fluoride, from being used in public water systems.
Also, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. is directing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to make new recommendations on the addition of fluoride to water sources.
Kennedy is directing the CDC to reconvene an independent panel of 15 health experts to examine the role fluoride plays in water sources and whether it can be detrimental to public health.
In addition, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin said his agency would review scientific evidence regarding the health outcomes of the consumption of fluoridated water to determine its safety.
The Miami-Dade resolution instructed the county’s water and sewer department to stop the practice within 30 days.
“By vetoing this bipartisan resolution, our mayor is acting like a typical politician, relying on partisan pollsters and tired talking points, while putting people’s health at risk, especially pregnant women, infants, children and other vulnerable groups,” Gonzalez wrote.
“Removing fluoride from our drinking water has received overwhelming scientific and public support, including from state to national levels of government.”
WLRN's Ammy Sanchez contributed to this report.
