PORTSMOUTH — City resident Rick Horowitz will hold a presentation from 7 to 8:30 p.m. today, March 9, in the public library’s Levenson Room on what he believes to be the many hazards of community water fluoridation.

Horowitz, who is in the middle of his push for a “fluoride free Portsmouth,” said he hopes the event will give people an opportunity to learn about the hazards of water fluoridation through both a presentation and a question and answer session.

Drinking fluoridated water has been linked to a wide range of health problems, including increased risk of hip fracture, cancer, reduced IQ level and other neurological impairments, dental fluorosis, hypothyroidism, arthritis-like symptoms, and other harmful effects, according to Horowitz.

The event is expected to include a couple of short videos on fluoridation and discussion on some of the recent research.

“I will show charts that illustrate that the declines in tooth decay rates in the entire developed world, that have been attributed to fluoridation, are a red herring — that there is little to no detectable difference in tooth decay rates in fluoridated and non-fluoridated areas,” Horowitz said.

The city has already reduced the amount of fluoride in its water supply based on recommendations of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Horowitz, however, believes fluoride should be removed from the water supply altogether and is in the middle of leading a petition encouraging Seacoast residents to follow him in his fight.

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