Fluoridating city of Elgin water was stopped in 2005, according to Doug Prinz, city of Elgin’s director of utilities.
“During the construction of the new water plant, we ceased using fluoride because of concerns about health issues.
“I have done research in the meantime and have found the side effects really seem to outweigh the benefits. There are risks of bone cancer, an increased risk of bone fractures, decreased thyroid function, arthritis-like conditions and other things,” Prinz explained.
Information is available on the Internet at fluorideactionnetwork.com or www.fluoridealert.com.
According to Prinz, the American Dental Association recommends that children up to 12 years of age should be drinking distilled water.
In 1945, Marshall was the first city in Texas and the third in the nation to add fluoride to the public water system, with Sulphur Springs following shortly thereafter, according to Tom Napier, engineer for the Texas Department of Health Services.
“Adding the chemical is extremely inexpensive, costing about 50 cents per person per year. The only side effect I know of is reduced cavities.
“Cavity reduction occurs in all ages and the longer people live, the more teeth there are to protect. We have over 60 years in tracking this,” Napier said.
The Centers for Disease (CDC) Control estimates that every dollar spent on fluoride prevents $38 in dental costs for a lifetime.
There are 184 city systems in the state that fluoridate the water, which is a volunteer effort. Napier stated that Bastrop fluoridates, but Smithville also discontinued using it a while back.
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