In a reckless move driven by far-right conspiracy theories and anti-science fearmongering, the Seminole County Board of County Commissioners voted 4-1 on April 9, 2025, to rip fluoride out of the county’s water.
Yes, you read that right. Rather than focus their energy on addressing far more urgent public health problems making so many of our county’s residents sicker by the minute (obesity, gun violence, among many others), the County Board, and the far-right propaganda machine informing them, have chosen to pick a fight with…fluoride? Really? Out of all the threats to public health, this is their biggest beef?
The Seminole County Commission’s decision was made hastily, without proper public input. The meeting agenda presented the issue as a status report, but commissioners decided to vote on it without allowing full public comment or testimony from health professionals. Testimony that would have been crucial before making such a major public health decision.
The priorities of our local elected officials are clearly twisted here. It would almost be laughable if it weren’t so dangerous, and the consequences so possibly disastrous for the health of our communities.
Let’s be clear, though. If you’re not fully sold yet on water fluoridation, it’s fair and valid to approach the issue with healthy skepticism. This is, after all, about what goes into the water we all drink, every day. Asking questions and demanding transparency is good, and the goal of this post is not to discourage good faith debate on this topic.
But it’s also critical for folks to understand that the modern anti-fluoridation movement isn’t some kind of grassroots call for safer practices, as it’s often framed. It’s actually a top-down campaign fueled by extremist political agendas and junk science. What may look like reasonable concern at first glance is actually a deliberate push to undermine scientifically and medically proven public health measures, putting entire communities at greater risk.
This is clearly a shortsighted decision on the part of the County Commission! It dismisses decades of proven science and brushes aside urgent warnings from respected public health experts. Fluoride has been safely added to U.S. water supplies since the 1950s to prevent tooth decay and improve overall health. And in this regard, it has worked well for our teeth. The CDS actually considers it one of the greatest public health achievements of the 20th century.
But now, an obnoxious and misinformed right-wing movement, led by anti-science hack and Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo, is fighting to strip it away. This movement, of course, also conveniently ignores all the mountains of evidence linking good dental health to lower risks of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. It’s not just about teeth—entire living, breathing bodies are implicated.
Yet folks like Joseph Ladapo, our literal Surgeon General, have abandoned their basic duty to maintain our state’s public health by spreading fear and junk science. Meanwhile, real public health crises go unaddressed.
Opponents of fluoridation, like Ladapo, tend to cite scattered reports and studies—often from foreign sources—alleging harmful side effects. But these reports are based on fluoride levels far exceeding those used in U.S. water supplies, making them irrelevant to the current debate. The simple truth is this: the overwhelming scientific consensus supports the safety and benefits of proper fluoridation. As stated above, the CDC isn’t even debating this.
Unfortunately, though, the anti-fluoridation movement has reached the national level too. Anti-science extremist and U.S. Health & Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is currently taking steps to reconsider fluoridation practices. This could easily go to the federal level, if we don’t stand up soon.
Last March, Utah became the first state to ban fluoride in its public water systems, and Florida might soon be next. A bill in the Florida Senate just passed that would ban substances from our water supply not deemed by the state government to be “water quality.” Given what our Surgeon General has been saying, Fluoride will likely be on that list, if he gets his way.
This issue only highlights how important civic engagement is at the local level. We can not let fringe conspiracy theorists dictate the conversation on this. Citizens must speak up for science-based public health policies. As a matter of fact, Seminole County’s State Senator, Jason Brodeur, was actually the one who presided over the passing of the Senate Bill laying the groundwork for a statewide fluoridation ban. He should be more than familiar with the contents of the bill.
The fight against fluoride removal isn’t over. Seminole County citizens must contact their state House and Senate representatives to oppose legislation that would ban fluoridation. This isn’t just about dental hygiene—it’s about defending and expanding public health protections for everyone.
Original article online at: https://web.archive.org/web/20250427085326/https://semdems.com/the-far-rights-dangerous-war-on-fluoride-how-junk-science-ruins-public-health/