The list of municipalities nationwide that have reexamined the topic of adding cavity-preventing fluoride to drinking water now includes three cities in southwest Washington.
According to Oregon Public Broadcasting, Longview city council members will debate the matter at a public session on Thursday. The Camas City Council will schedule a hearing in March after Battle Ground entered the discussion earlier this month. All of the meetings that have been scheduled or held thus far have been purely informational.
A federal judge in California last year ordered the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to further regulate fluoride in drinking water because high amounts could impair children’s intellectual development, which in turn sparked a renewed dispute. Additionally, the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. by President Donald Trump to lead the Department of Health and Human Services is being considered by the U.S. Senate. The federal government should urge local governments not to add fluoride to their drinking water, Kennedy has stated.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 70% of Americans who use public drinking water systems have access to water that contains fluoride levels that prevent tooth decay.
The biggest city in the US without fluoridated water is Portland.
Deputy Mayor Shane Bowman examined the costs of fluoridation, which range from $10,000 to $15,000 annually, against the benefits of better oral health for citizens during a study session of the Battle Ground City Council on January 6.
“I don’t know if you’ve taken your child to a pediatric dentist, but when you consider the difference it makes for the kids who might not have access to dental health care, that’s very minimal $10,000 to $15,000,” Bowman said.
Critics argue that fluoridating public drinking water is out of date and that people should be free to choose whether or not to use it.
