Hillsborough opts against removing fluoride from drinking water
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Hillsborough commissioners shot down a motion to remove fluoride from the county's drinking water, bucking a trend of municipalities.
Why it matters: Conservatives have fashioned fluoride into an issue of medical freedom, leading communities across Florida and the nation to halt the practice of adding the mineral to drinking water.
- This is the most controversial issue the board has waded into since expanding its GOP majority. Wednesday's failed vote suggests Republican dominance won't guarantee success for conservative causes.
Catch up quick: Commissioner Joshua Wostal (R) called for Hillsborough to stop adding fluoride to its water in September, after a federal court in California ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to further regulate the mineral.
Inside the room: Public attendees at Wednesday's meeting largely spoke in support of Wostal's motion, which he added to the commission's agenda on Friday afternoon.
- A pediatric dentist cautioned against it, noting that she's treated uninsured children in both fluoridated and non-fluoridated communities — and found cavities to be far more severe and widespread in the latter.
- Commissioner Harry Cohen (D) called the motion "irresponsible" and urged the board to host a workshop with medical professionals. Wostal countered that keeping the mineral in the water was irresponsible.
- With Commissioner Gwen Myers (D) out, the motion failed 3-3 as GOP commissioners Ken Hagan and Chris Boles sided with Cohen.
Zoom in: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends 0.7 mg/L of fluoride in water. Hillsborough County's water has 0.5 mg/L fluoride, so only a small amount is added to reach the target.
- Hillsborough's Board of County Commissioners first approved the addition of fluoride to drinking water in 1988, and the Water Resources Department began adding fluoride by 1992.
- County staff estimate that stopping the addition of fluoride to the water system would save $200,000 each year. Last year, about 44,000 gallons of fluorosilicic acid were added to drinking water.
Between the lines: Fluoride is a mineral that repairs and prevents damage to teeth that bacteria cause in the mouth, according to the CDC.
- There is evidence that high fluoride exposure is linked to lower IQs in children, though in higher concentrations than found in drinking water, a National Toxicology Program report found.
Yes, but: Studies have continuously shown that widespread community water fluoridation is not associated with lower IQ scores in children, and rather prevents cavities and saves families money, per the CDC.