… The cavity-fighting mineral has a starring role in the campaigns of two Democrats seeking to oust Republican incumbents from their county commission seats. Both candidates want to turn the election into a referendum on the commission’s 4-3 vote last year to end fluoridation, a practice backed by federal health officials who say it has helped reduce tooth decay by 25 percent nationwide.
Some 700,000 people — 75 percent of the county — were affected by the vote. The Democrats are betting that many of them, including a large number of local dentists, will take their displeasure to the polls on Nov. 6. …
Copyright 2012 Tampa Bay Times
Print 
PDF