Bartow will continue adding fluoride to its water supply – for now – following a 3-2 vote Monday night by the city commission.
It's the latest Florida municipality to address the issue, but the decision may be moot should a bill in the Legislature to end the practice becomes law. Nearly 20 local boards – including Polk County neighbor Lakeland – voted to stop fluoridation over concerns it can affect IQs in children.
Bartow’s close and contentious vote came a month after a town hall that included comments from Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo, who issued guidance to cities and counties to end fluoridation. Most of public voices agreed that night, as did seven of nine who spoke Monday.
When roll call was taken, commissioners Leo Longworth, Gary Ball and Laura Simpson decided to stick with fluoride, citing evidence from dental professionals that it is an important tool in the fight against tooth decay.
A national debate over the issue grew after a federal judge in September ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to further regulate fluoride in drinking water because high levels could pose risks to intellectual developmental in children.
That ruling came out of a report by the National Institutes of Health that showed a link between higher levels of fluoride exposure and cognitive delays in kids. It included studies involving levels at twice the 0.7 milligrams per liter that has been the standard to support dental health since the 1950s.
Simpson said the judge’s ruling was not a mandate to remove fluoride but to “advance EPA’s testing and information gathering. This was to get more data.”
She also noted that Bartow’s water has never reached two times the recommended level.
“There have been people that have argued against fluoride, and they cite studies that look at unrealistic levels of fluoride,” she said. “To ingest the amount of fluoride that these studies are indicating would require people to eat tubes of toothpaste to reach the levels of fluoride they are talking about.”
Mayor Trish Burdin-Pfeiffer, who voted no, expressed concern over studies suggesting links between fluoride and other health conditions, include autoimmune diseases.
“I spend my day watching what I eat, drinking triple-filtered water so it doesn’t aggravate or accelerate my autoimmune condition and my Epstein-Barr. I am one of the vulnerable,” she said, “as are thousands of people in our city who are vulnerable to any toxin.”
Tucker, the other nay, said her decision was formed after discussions with constituents, most of whom were against fluoridation.
A major concern from residents has been government making their health decisions, specifically what is put in their bodies.
“I don’t think it matters too much if fluoride is safe and effective for teeth or dangerous for brain health. We’ve got to give people the choice. I think that’s the easiest solution in this whole process,” said Justin Harvey, an Orlando resident.
Bartow resident Marcia Brooks told commissioners there are other places for people to get fluoride to help fight tooth decay, as many dental organizations have attested.
“If I’m deficient in vitamin C (or) I’m deficient in vitamin D or if I’m deficient in something, I can choose to add that to my daily routine,” Brooks said. “You guys are taking away my choice.”
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