PALM BAY, Fla. —More and more cities in Florida have opted to take fluoride out of tap water. At a meeting on Thursday, Palm Bay will be the next city to debate adding fluoride to its tap water.
The topic is controversial, with some for and against it.
“I don’t think it is a good idea to mass treat anything. I do think it would be good to pause this and research it more,” said Rachael Holohan, who opposes fluoride in the water.
“I think fluoride in the water is a good idea. I mean, they haven’t proven it’s done any harm, and they’ve proven it’s done a lot of good,” said Crystal Alcairo, who supports fluoride in the water.
The American Dental Association disagrees with the decision some cities in Florida have taken to remove fluoride from the water.
“Dangerous for the health of all Floridians,” the association stated.
Palm Bay Councilman Chandler Langevin texted WESH 2 that the city has not added fluoride to the water since 2016 due to broken equipment.
“The City can’t let the issue sit in limbo any longer. We need to pick a direction,” Langevin said. “The United States shouldn’t be force-medicating our population.”
The debate over fluoride in tap water continues in Palm Bay, reflecting a broader conversation happening in other Florida cities.
The Palm Bay City Council meeting is on Thursday at 6 p.m.
Original article online at: https://www.wesh.com/article/palm-bay-fluoride-to-tap-water/63325016