Board votes to end fluoride addition to county drinking water; orders administrative steps and limited notification

Miami-Dade County commissioners on Thursday voted to end the practice of adding fluoride to drinking water supplied from county treatment plants, a policy change the board said is intended to give residents freedom of choice while the science is further examined.

The measure — introduced by Commissioner Alex Gonzalez — passed after multiple amendments that limited how water department funds could be used for public outreach and clarified the county’s contractual obligations to wholesale customers.

The debate: The item drew a long public comment period and an extended commission debate. Hundreds of residents and dozens of medical and dental professionals spoke for and against continuing fluoridation, citing a mix of public-health, ethical and scientific arguments.

- Proponents of removal argued the latest research raises safety questions for pregnant women and young children and said fluoride’s proven topical benefit (toothpaste, professional dental treatments) reduces the need for mass medication via water supply. Commissioner Gonzalez told the board, “The choice before us is not about politics. It is about prudence, public health, and the principle of protecting those who cannot protect themselves.”

- Opponents, including county water managers and some medical groups, argued that fluoridation of community water supplies remains widely supported by major public-health organizations and that removing fluoride could increase dental decay, particularly in underserved populations.

Administrative directions passed alongside the core vote - Contracts and notice: County counsel and staff were directed to identify and review any contract language with wholesale customers and notify those municipal customers; counsel advised boards that some wholesale agreements could require notice and that the county needed to confirm…