News Archive

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has recommended that doctors apply a fluoride varnish on the teeth of children ages six months to five years, and the Virginia Dental Association (VDA) is applauding that recommendation. The AAP contends that the varnish can help reduce cavities, the top chronic disease affecting young children. The AAP included […]

Fluoride will remain in Martinsville’s drinking water. At least for now. At Tuesday night’s Martinsville City Council meeting, a motion by Councilwoman Sharon Brooks Hodge and seconded by Councilwoman Jennifer Bowles to remove fluoride from the city’s water supply was defeated 3-2. The vote came after the council in recent months heard from opponents of […]

Joey Martin is not optimistic that Martinsville City Council will remove fluoride from the city’s drinking water. The issue could come up for a vote during tonight’s council meeting. Councilwoman Sharon Brooks Hodge has indicated she will bring up the issue again when all five council members are present at a meeting. Karen Roberts, the […]

The debate over whether Martinsville should continue to add fluoride to its drinking water apparently continues. Near the end of Tuesday night’s Martinsville City Council meeting, Councilwoman Sharon Brooks Hodge, who opposes water fluoridation, indicated that she will bring up the issue again for conversation or a vote as soon as all five council members […]

Fluoride will remain in Martinsville’s drinking water — at least for the time being. During its meeting Tuesday night, Martinsville City Council did not consider removing fluoride from the city’s water supply. A fluoride discussion was not on the council meeting’s agenda. However, Councilwoman Sharon Brooks Hodge, a fluoride opponent, said during the July 14 […]

Martinsville City Manager Leon Towarnicki will recommend that the city continue to add fluoride to its drinking water — if the issue comes up for a vote at Tuesday night’s city council meeting and he is asked for his opinion. His stance is based on scientific studies concluding that fluoridated water helps prevent tooth decay […]

Martinsville City Council needs to be careful in deciding whether the city should continue adding fluoride to its drinking water, considering that a lot of people consider it medicine, according to Dr. Mary Helen Hensley. “Your job is to provide clean and safe drinking water” to city residents, Hensley, a former chiropractic physician and Martinsville […]

The Martinsville City Council took no action Tuesday after hearing from about a dozen people on whether the city should continue to put fluoride in its drinking water, and the issue is expected to be raised again during its next meeting. Communities nationwide have put fluoride, a derivative of the element fluorine, in their drinking […]

Martinsville City Council on Tuesday will seek public comment on whether fluoride should continue to be added to the city’s drinking water. During recent council meetings, some area residents have voiced concern about water fluoridation. To help prevent tooth decay, Martinsville has fluoridated its water since the 1960s. About 75 percent of people nationwide who […]

On July 14, Martinsville City Council will decide whether to remove fluoride from the city water supply for the first time in 50 years. According to West Piedmont Health District Director Dr. Jody Hershey, there are no benefits – health-related or financial – to removing fluoride from city drinking water. However, he said, there are […]