Imagine the surprise of Manatee County commissioners beginning a discussion on ending fluoridation and learning from staff that its system hasn’t worked since 2021 and no fluoride has been added since.
That was the case on Tuesday, which the board voted to back Commissioner Amanda Ballard’s proposal to open debate on the issue, which has been spreading nationally in recent months.
It gained traction in Florida last year, when Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo issued guidance recommending that local governments stop adding fluoride to their water supplies.
Ballard cited that guidance in her proposal to end the practice, as have more than a dozen other communities across the state.
While fluoridation has been done globally for decades to benefit dental health, some new studies show the mineral at higher-than-recommended levels can negatively affect children’s cognitive ability. The recommended level is 0.7 parts per million.
During the meeting’s public comment, there were speakers for and against fluoridation.
Commissioners voted prepare an ordinance, and hold a public hearing and vote at a later date.
The county must also consider repairing the fluoride injection system, estimated to cost about $2 million.
With the machinery out of service for four years, the county's water has contained a low level of fluoride that is naturally present in the environment. A 1991 ordinance requires the county to fluoridate at the recommended level.
The county’s water quality reports, available online, show the fluoride level in 2020 at 0.7, but a drop in 2021 to 0.29 in 2021 and an increase in 2022 to 0.61. Reports for 2023 and 2024 were not found during a site search.
Information from Health News Florida's Kerry Sheridan was used in this report.
