Hillsborough County will keep fluoridating its water supply.
A motion to end the practice died by a 3-3 tie vote by the county commissioner on Wednesday. Commissioners Harry Cohen, Ken Hagan and Chris Boles voted no. Commissioner Gwen Myers was absent.
The motion came from Commissioner Joshua Wostal. He cited a recent court ruling in California that ordered federal environmental official to "strengthen" fluoride levels because of concerns over potential health risks.
“The court finds the fluoridation of water at 0.7 milligrams per liter, the level presently considered optimal in the United States, poses an unreasonable risk of reduced IQ in children,” Wostal said. “Now that I've said it out loud, it sounds almost diabolical that I have to sit here and argue for it to be removed.”
A recent study by the National Institutes of Health determined there is a link between higher levels of fluoride exposure and lower IQ in kids. It cited studies involving fluoride levels at about twice the recommended limit for drinking water, not the 0.7 milligrams of fluoride per liter of water, which Hillsborough currently adds.
"Mouthwash has fluoride in it. My toothpaste has fluoride in it. We have no disclaimer on the faucets that say, 'Hey, we're already increasing your water to the maximum fluoridation rates of 0.7,'" Wostal said. "Maybe you shouldn't be using toothpaste or mouthwash because we could be unwittingly increasing you above these levels. None of those things exist."
But Cohen urged caution and wanted a workshop first.
"Taking one court case that may or may not be filled with accurate information and making a public health determination of this magnitude is extremely irresponsible," he said.
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.
Cohen cited that the AAP recognizes fluoridation as one of the 10 greatest public health achievements of the 20th century.
"We've managed to reduce significantly the amount of cavities and dental work that that people, children need," he said, "and there is a very, very real risk that by removing the fluoride from water, we're going to have an entire generation of people with major dental issues, particularly lower economic people who don't have the benefit of regular dental care."
The topic has come into the forefront nationwide after Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump's nominee to head the Department of Health and Human Services, said if nominated he would push the president to remove fluoride from drinking water.
Last year, Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo issued guidance recommending that local governments stop adding fluoride to water supplies. More than a dozen have already followed that guidance.
This week, Clearwater City Council member Ryan Cotton said he plans to soon introduce a motion to do so. Also, the Lakeland City Commission has slated a hearing for Feb. 17 to hear from the public about the issue.
Last week in Manatee County, commissioners voted to bring an ordinance on removing fluoride from the water supply at a later date. The county must also consider repairing the current fluoridation system.
Others that have recently voted to end fluoriation include Winter Haven, Fort Pierce, Niceville, Ormond Beach, Immokalee, Naples, Tavares, Stuart, Port St. Lucie, Palm Bay, Melbourne and Collier County.
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