fluoride

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.

If commissioners vote to follow the guidance of Florida's surgeon general, Manatee would join more than a dozen other local governments to end the practice, including Niceville in the Panhandle.

Some recent studies found fluoride exposure is associated with cognitive impacts in children, but the research isn’t conclusive. Still, many Floridians say there’s enough evidence to warrant concern.

Council members voted 4-1 in favor of halting the fluoridation of the city’s water supply after hearing opposition from the public and comment from the Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo.

Fluoride will stay in the Tallahassee water supply after commissioners heard a report from experts on the issue.

After Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo came to Polk County and called fluoridation a “public health malpractice,” city commissioners said they would need to learn more before they could vote on the issue.

Florida's surgeon general calls it "public health malpractice" to fluoridate water, citing research that suggests exposure to high levels could lead to lower IQs in kids. Many experts say more research is needed.

Research has generally shown that fluoridated water at recommended levels is safe. But many experts and a judge say more research is needed to better understand whether and when risks kick in.

Health experts testify on the importance of keeping the mineral in the water supply, but "health freedom" backers dominate the public discussion before the commission vote.

Using Medicaid payment data from towns in Alaska that have rejected fluoride in recent years, a new study supports dentists' claims that teeth get worse when the water supply is not fluoridated.