Residents urge council to reconsider water fluoridation amid latest studies and court ruling

David Williamson, a local resident, addressed the Oviedo City Council during the public-comment portion of the work session and urged council members to ground any discussion about municipal fluoridation in scientific evidence rather than ‘‘conspiracy theories.’'

Williamson said that community water fluoridation is a cost-effective public-health measure and told the council, "For every $1 you spend on fluoridating water, you reduce tooth decay by an estimated $20 to $50 per person in oral health care costs," and that he saw no evidence that properly administered fluoridation causes negative side effects.

Justin Harvey, who identified his address as 103 South Osceola in Orlando, told the council he was opposed to mandatory fluoridation and cited recent legal and research developments he said raise questions about neurological risks for pregnant women and children. Harvey referenced a multi-year court case and a set of studies that he said found associations between higher fluoride exposure and lower child IQ; he added that some people view forced fluoridation as mass medication: "We can't control the dose to an infant, an elderly person [or] someone with a health condition, and that's what we're doing here," he said.

Steve Edmonds, an Oviedo resident of more than 20 years, said he opposed adding fluoride to the public water supply and argued residents who want fluoride can obtain it through other means rather than via municipal dosing.

The council did not take action during public comment. The remarks were entered for the record and later informed a staff briefing and council discussion about the city's fluoride equipment and related state legislation.