Manatee County, like several Florida communities in recent months, plans to discuss whether to discontinue adding fluoride to its water supply.
County commissioners placed the topic on the agenda for Tuesday’s meeting, citing recent guidance by Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo, who has discouraged local governments from fluoridating.
Many are following the recommendation.
This past week, Niceville joined the growing list, which means no municipalities in Okaloosa County are adding the naturally occurring mineral.
Others include Winter Haven, Fort Pierce, Ormond Beach, Immokalee, Naples, Tavares, Stuart, Port St. Lucie and Collier County. In Brevard County, Melbourne and Palm Bay recently ended the practice, and Cocoa and Titusville officials said last week they may consider it, too.
The Pinellas County Commission was scheduled to take public comment on the issue Tuesday. Pinellas had removed fluoride from its water supply in 2011 but resumed the practice two years later.
The Lakeland City Commission has slated a hearing for Feb. 17 to hear from the public about the issue.
Ladapo’s guidance lists a number of concerns, including associations of higher fluoride exposure with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, diminished impulse control and reduced IQ in children.
Cognitive issues are associated with exposures starting at 1.5 parts per million of water, a little more than twice the 0.7 ppm recommendation, according to recent studies.
National debate about fluoridation began last year after the National Toxicology Program concluded in a report that higher levels of fluoride exposure are associated with lower IQ in children.
Fluoride has been added to water supplies nationwide for decades at the recommended level to prevent tooth decay. Organizations such as the American Dental Association and American Academy of Pediatrics continue to support the practice.
“Today, fluoride is widely available from multiple sources, including topical fluorides, such as toothpaste, mouthwashes, and fluoride applications by dental providers,” reads the Manatee commission agenda. “Evidence shows fluoride strengthens teeth, making them more decay resistant. However, additional research is being conducted to review the impacts of overall fluoride exposure in the population.”
Information from Central Florida Public Media was used in this report.
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