Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs City Council members in Fort Myers, Florida, opted to keep fluoride in their local drinking water despite guidance from the state’s surgeon general, Dr. Joseph Ladapo, recommending against it.Newsweek reached out to Ladapo’s office by email for comment.Why It MattersFor decades, fluoride has been known to prevent tooth decay. However, some officials are expressing concern that the mineral might have health impacts that weren’t previously known.Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump’s secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), has been a vocal critic of water fluoridation, arguing that it poses health risks despite many health organizations continuing to cite its benefits.Despite the recent concerns and pushback, The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Dental Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention agree that water fluoridation is effective and safe.
Despite recent concerns and pushback, The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Dental Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention agree that water fluoridation is effective and safe.
Despite recent concerns and pushback, The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Dental Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention agree that water fluoridation is effective and safe.
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What To KnowLadapo and other medical professionals have argued that fluoride can contribute to cognitive development issues in young children, among other impacts.Several Florida cities and counties have followed Ladapo’s guidance to remove fluoride from drinking water, including Collier County, Naples, Marco Island and Lee County, but Fort Myers won’t be following suit.Earlier this week, the City Council discussed the issue after most other providers in the area sought to remove the mineral from local drinking water, the Fort Myers News-Press reported.Fluoride has been added to drinking water since the 1940s because of its ability to prevent cavities, but recently, municipalities nationwide have taken steps to remove it from local drinking water.According to a report by U.S. News, states with the highest proportion of residents receiving fluoridated drinking water were Minnesota, Illinois and Kentucky, as of December 2024. In Florida, of 20 million people who got their water from government sources, 78 percent received fluoridated water, the report found, but that number is bound to change as more municipalities opt against it.What People Are SayingFlorida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph A. Ladapo, in his guidance: “It is clear more research is necessary to address safety and efficacy concerns regarding community water fluoridation. The previously considered benefit of community water fluoridation does not outweigh the current known risks, especially for special populations like pregnant women and children.”HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., in a social media post: “On January 20, the Trump White House will advise all U.S. water systems to remove fluoride from public water. Fluoride is an industrial waste associated with arthritis, bone fractures, bone cancer, IQ loss, neurodevelopmental disorders, and thyroid disease.”Fort Myers City Councilwoman Teresa Watkins-Brown, according to the Fort Myers News-Press: “I understand other cities are doing it. Because they’re doing it doesn’t make it right.”Fort Myers City Councilman Liston Bochette, in the report: “I would say I’m not sure why we’d eliminate it.”What Happens NextEfforts to remove fluoride from drinking water have spread and will likely continue to do so.
