There appears to be little appetite in Palm Beach County to stop treating water with fluoride, despite a claim by Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo that doing so amounts to “public health malpractice.”

Lapado has called on water departments across the state to stop fluoridating their water, arguing that it could result in lower IQs for children. The November guidance has already resulted in Naples, Stuart, Tavares and Port St. Lucie no longer putting fluoride in their water.

But there are no plans to do so at the Palm Beach County Water Utilities Department, one of the larger suppliers of potable water in the state. The agency serves more than 600,000 people, most of them within about 1,300 square miles of unincorporated areas within the county.

And while the issue was recently debated in Delray Beach, no decision was made. It has yet to be discussed in Wellington or West Palm Beach, two other large areas where water is fluoridated.

How much fluoride does the county use in its water?

Assistant Palm Beach County Administrator Todd Bonlarron defended the fluoridation of water in areas that the county utilities department serves.

He noted the American Medical Association continues to recommend that fluoride be treated at the level the county currently employs — 0.7 milligrams per liter. That is a low level of treatment, he said, noting that even Lapado acknowledged in his guidance that at the level of county treatment, “there is insufficient data” to determine that if, at that level, fluoride can have a negative impact on children’s IQ.

“We look to the national medical, environmental and water-quality experts for their scientific research and recommendations as it relates to fluoride, and we weigh all of those recommendations when reviewing our fluoride program,” Bonlarron said.

Should the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency change its recommendation, the county will take it under consideration, he said. Lapado’s findings have been roundly criticized. They go against years of widespread belief that drinking water fluoridation helps prevent tooth decay.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has called fluoride in drinking water one of the 10 greatest public health achievements of the 20th century. Medical groups such as the American Dental Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics have endorsed fluoridation of water as a way toward better oral health.

Will Trump administration reverse existing guidelines that call for fluoridation of water?

It is possible, and perhaps even likely, though, that the position of federal agencies will be reversed once the new Trump administration comes into office.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., president-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has already said that fluoride should be banned from all public water systems. His position is similar that of Lapado’s: Fluoridation can negatively impact the IQs of children.

In his guidance, Ladapo cited recent studies from Mexico, Canada and the Journal of the American Medical Association Open Network that suggest fluoride exposure could be detrimental to the health of some.

Which local municipalities use fluoride in water and which ones don’t?

In Delray Beach, Mayor Tom Carney jokingly said at a recent commission meeting that he “may have a low IQ” but he has great teeth, noting that there are lot of kids that have benefitted from having fluoride in their water.

The city still uses fluoride in water, but at a recent commission meeting, officials were debating on whether to remove it. In the end, commissioners decided they needed more information before making a decision.

Michael Starr, a dentist in Wellington and a former president of the Palm Beach County Dental Association, said it would be a mistake to stop fluoridating water. Fluoride was added to Wellington’s water in 1999, but the council voted to remove it in 2014. In June 2017, the village decided to add fluoride back into the water supply.

Children especially benefit from it, as it helps to strengthen their teeth to make them resistant to tooth decay, Starr said, noting there is more than 70 years of science that has documented how beneficial fluoride is.

“For kids that don’t see dentists regularly, this is their only real change to prevent tooth decay,” said Starr. And as for adults, those with dry mouth also benefit from fluoridation, he added: “It may not cure dry mouth, but it helps to prevent tooth decay.”

City-by-city:Does your municipality use fluoride to treat its drinking water?

More than 70% of Floridians likely drink water with fluoride in it, according to self-reported data gathered by the Florida Department of Health. In Stuart, the decision to remove fluoride goes against a previously approved referendum. The city says the decision is temporary because it needs clarification from the state whether it can act when voters have approved a referendum.

Palm Beach County fluoridates to its water system by injecting a liquid chemical. into it The county adds other minute amounts of chemicals, including chlorine, ammonia and acid, to its water as part of the treatment and disinfection process.

One Center for Disease Control study found that in communities with more than 20,000 residents, every $1 invested in water fluoridation yields about $38 in savings every year from fewer cavities treated.

“Fluoride combines with outer enamel tooth layers, preventing cavities by making teeth stronger and more resistant to decay. Almost all water contains some naturally occurring fluoride, but usually at levels too low to prevent cavities,” the CDC says.

Opponents argue that fluoride already is available in toothpaste and mouthwash, and there is no reason to force it upon people who don’t want it.

The biggest water utility departments that do no fluoridate include the Town of Jupiter Utilities Department and the Seacoast Utility Authority that treat and deliver drinking water to Palm Beach Gardens customers east of the C-18 Canal and to the Town of Lake Park, the Village of North Palm Beach, the Town of Juno Beach from Juno Isles south, and to unincorporated areas lying north of Silver Beach Road.

Other major cities that don’t use fluoride include Lake Worth Beach, Riviera Beach and Boca Raton.

Original article online at: https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/news/local/2025/01/25/does-palm-beach-county-treat-its-drinking-water-with-fluoride/77482896007/