For more than half a century, scientists supported the revolutionary move to fluoridate water for oral and public health.
Opponents to the practice were primarily viewed as fringe and small contingency. But, the anti-fluoride movement has seen new life, particularly with Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo and a few obscure scientific studies that have come out claiming that fluoride is dangerous to children’s brain development.
In the aftermath of President Donald Trump’s win in November, Ladapo and the Florida Department of Health launched a campaign to urge local governments to stop fluoridating their water supplies. They claim the naturally occurring mineral is a danger to children and their IQ levels. Ladapo has traveled across the state to convince municipalities to end their community water fluoridation practices.
As communities debate community water fluoridation and possibly end the practice, local officials are left to decide based on information presented by two sides: anti-fluoride Ladapo and the medical freedom activists versus pro-fluoride dentists.
To better understand the consequences to public health if fluoride is removed from community water supplies, New Times wanted to speak with experts from universities across the state, particularly those with dental schools or colleges of public health.
However, it appears universities are reluctant to permit their experts to enter the fluoride debate as Gov. Ron DeSantis and his administration push to end the public health practice across the Sunshine State. Here is how a handful of colleges responded to New Times‘ inquiries for interview requests with faculty about fluoride.
Editor’s note: Florida Atlantic University and the University of Miami did not respond to New Times‘ interview requests.
University of Florida
After New Times scrolled UF’s “Find An Expert” page for journalists and attempted to connect with faculty members from the College of Dentistry, a university spokesperson referred New Times to the Florida Dental Association, American Dental Association, and American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.
“We’ve been referring media to several sources in the state and nationally that are prepared to speak on this topic from a dental health perspective, if that is what you are looking for,” Karen Rhodenizer, director of communications at UF’s College of Dentistry, told New Times.
It is worth noting that Ladapo is a professor of medicine at the university. As DeSantis appointed him to the state surgeon general, the university’s College of Medicine put him on a tenured fast track. Additionally, his partner-in-crime in his crusade to end community water fluoridation is none other than UF epidemiology professor Ashley Malin, a fierce anti-fluoride researcher who spearheaded a controversial study that found high fluoride levels in pregnant women were linked to their children having neurobehavioral problems.
Florida International University
In an email, Stephanie Rendon, director of marketing and communications at FIU’s Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work, wrote, “We don’t have an expert who could speak on this topic.”
University of Central Florida
Notwithstanding its College of Health Professions and Sciences, UCF could not connect New Times with a public health expert.
“We don’t have anyone available to assist with your request,” Chad Binette, assistant vice president of communications, said. “Good luck with your story.”
Nova Southeastern University
Initially, the private university agreed to let New Times speak with fluoride expert Maiko Suzuki, an associate professor in the Department of Oral Science and Translational Research at NSU’s College of Dental Medicine.
However, after Suzuki emailed comments about fluoride’s benefits, associate public relations director Irvin Harrell requested that New Times not use the professor’s thoughts, per NSU’s general counsel.
“My apologies, but I just spoke to our dean, and he says that under legal guidance that NSU would prefer not to be quoted for this story,” Harrell said. “We appreciate your flexibility and remain open to other opportunities in the future for stories you may be working on.”
University of South Florida
USF agreed to let New Times speak with Sten Vermund, senior associate vice president of USF Health and dean of the university’s College of Public Health.
“Fluoride supplementation has been known for 60 years to reduce dental carries so this why both dentists and public health people and pediatricians are keen on fluoridated water,” Vermund tells New Times.
However, given the mixed research showing that fluoride could impact IQ levels, he says there needs to be more “people in the middle objectively assessing the evidence to help communities make informed decisions.” He notes that the issue has become too partisan and political, focused on agendas.
“I would like local governments to reach out and try to obtain technically proficient experts to help make these judgments,” Vermund adds. “I don’t think that some of the counties have all the information in front of them, and we are making decisions that are somewhat politicized in a way that we like public health not to be politicized.
“We would like public health to be objective and based on evidence and if we have evidence helping drive these decisions, people will be very much reassured that we’re doing the best decision for the most number of people.”
Original article online at: https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/why-wont-florida-professors-discuss-water-fluoridation-22696128