Fluoride fight: Tavares City Council delays vote on removing chemical from drinking water

Tavares City Council delays vote on fluoride use

Tavares city leaders decided to hold off on a decision on whether to stop adding fluoride to the water. The Lake County community is just the latest to consider removing the chemical from its drinking water, following Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo’s guidance to go fluoride-free by the end of this year.

TAVARES, Fla. - Tavares city leaders decided to hold off on a decision on whether to stop adding fluoride to the water.

The Lake County community is just the latest to consider removing the chemical from its drinking water, following Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo’s guidance to go fluoride-free by the end of this year.

"Fluoride absolutely positively can strengthen teeth; it is also the case that fluoride is neurotoxic," said Ladapo. "It is public health malpractice with the information that we have now to continue adding fluoride to water systems in Florida."

Other doctors disagree.

"I think [Ladapo’s] use of the term ‘public health malpractice’ is a disgrace," said Dr. Alan Hays. "I am embarrassed as a professional, that another professional would stand up and publicly make such a statement."

Hays, a dentist for 27 years, said fluoride is instrumental in building healthy enamel and warding off tooth decay. He, along with multiple other dentists, are pushing the council to stay the course and continue fluoridating the water.

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"We’ve got 50, 60, 70 years of proven health enhancements because of the addition of fluoride to the water," said Hays. "My question for [the council] was if you’re going to take fluoride out today, are you going to take chlorine out tomorrow? I think not."

Wednesday’s vote was tabled to give council members more time to research the topic. Out of Lake County’s 14 municipalities, Tavares is only one of three to fluoridate the water.

James Harvey hopes the board will flip and stop adding the chemical to the city’s drinking water. Harvey claimed studies citing detrimental neurological side effects far outweigh the benefits of fluoride.

"Are cavities worth brain problems? I think that’s what we need to weigh here," Harvey said. "I have no problem with people wanting to use it themselves or topically, it’s this ingesting into our body aspect – where it’s going to our organs, going to our brain. That’s the problem: this is a hazardous waste chemical."

According to the Tavares’ utilities director, the cost of fluoridating the water each year is around $30,000, and a good chunk of that money goes to maintaining and replacing equipment as the chemical is highly corrosive.

The discussion, and vote, will pick back up at the next city council meeting on December 18.

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