HANNIBAL, Mo. (KHQA) — A Northeast Missouri community could soon see fluoride removed from its water system.
The Hannibal city council voted 4-to-1 to send a recommendation to the Hannibal Board of Public Works to remove fluoride from the city’s drinking water.
The city has added fluoride to its water since 1955.
The vote to remove it comes after a study revealed that putting fluoride in drinking water shows little to no benefits in this day in age.
The move would save the city of Hannibal $20,000 a year.
“Nowadays, there’s no need for it. every toothpaste has fluoride in it, pretty much every mouthwash has fluoride in it, and it’s just time to do away with it,” said Hannibal Mayor Barry Louderman.
Louderman says the city only puts a minimal amount of fluoride in the water, only about 0.7mg/L.
However, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services says data supports positive effects from water fluoridation, including dental health.
“There have been thousands of studies that have proven that it is effective, and the department approves it, we support the safe levels of fluoride, it is safe at that levels at point 7 parts per million,” said Jane Boeckman, The Chief of Dental Health at the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.
The recommendation goes to the Hannibal Board of Public Works, and it would take at least 90 days to remove fluoride from the water system.
Original article online at: https://khqa.com/news/local/city-council-vote-pushes-hannibal-toward-ending-nearly-70-years-of-water-fluoridation