It’s a good thing that the Legislature failed to act on House Bill 2025, which would require cities with 10,000 or more people to fluoridate their water supplies.

The House had approved this bill. Among the no votes was that of Rep. Jeff Kropf, the Republican representing east Linn County. He wisely believes that people should not be forced to take a supplement, even if it’s supposed to be good for them.

As reported Sunday, the Science Journal column in the Wall Street Journal last week said that even backers of fluoridation now say it reduces tooth decay only 18-25 percent, which amounts to one tooth surface.

The column also reported on a study that may have uncovered an increased risk of a rare bone cancer among boys who drank fluoridated water during a certain period of their life.

This combination — modest benefits combined with an increased risk for a few — should raise questions about fluoridation even in places, such as all the main cities in the mid-valley, that have fluoridated their water for years.

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