Residents urge council to retain water fluoridation during public comment; supporters cite dental benefits, opponents cite study concerns

At the public-comment portion of the Feb. 25 meeting several residents urged the council to continue measures that result in optimal fluoride levels in the regional water supply.

Rick Hewitt, a dentist and legislative chair for the Academy of General Dentistry, told the council that for every dollar invested in water fluoridation communities save more than $32 in dental care and described military installations27 adoption of fluoridation. Hewitt said the public-health literature supports regulated fluoridation at 0.7 parts per million and cautioned that statements suggesting authorities are "removing fluoride" mischaracterize the issue; he offered to share documentation with the city clerk.

Linda Nulavine, a resident with a Ph.D., told the council the contested study cited by critics was not a U.S.-based, cause-and-effect study and said the correlational findings do not demonstrate that fluoridation reduces childhood IQ. She called water fluoridation "one of the great medical breakthroughs of our lifetime" and described personal and family improvements in dental health following fluoridation programs.

Council members and staff said they would collect the submitted materials and distribute them to the council and relevant staff. No council action on fluoridation was taken at the meeting; the speakers asked the city to retain and consider documentation about the public-health tradeoffs and water chemistry details.

Ending: The city clerk accepted materials from speakers for distribution; council did not vote on policy at this session.